UPSC Key: Buddha relics return to Ladakh, Jet fuel price, and Komagata Maru incident

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are the various sects of Buddhism?

— What is the role of Ladakh in transmission of Buddhist thought?

— What was the role of Emperor Ashoka in the spread of Buddhism?

— What is Mahayana philosophy?

— Know about Buddha and Buddhism

— What is mahaparinirvana?

— What are the efforts taken by the government to promote Buddhism as a tourist centre?

— What are the various schemes related to Buddhism in India?

Key Takeaways:

— Addressing a gathering at Jivetsal in Leh during the 2569th Buddha Purnima celebrations, Shah said Ladakh has been a “living land of dharma” that preserved and nurtured Buddhist knowledge for centuries.

— The relics had been brought to Leh in 1950 for an exhibition, after Ngawang Lobzang Thupstan Chognor (popularly known as the 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche) requested then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to send the relics to Leh to raise the spiritual morale of the people.

— Highlighting Ladakh’s role in the transmission of Buddhist thought, Shah said the region served as a key corridor through which teachings originating in India spread to China and beyond.

— He noted that Kashmir, too, was once a major centre of Buddhist learning, particularly of Mahayana philosophy and art, and facilitated Ladakh’s early engagement with Buddhism. He also referred to the role of Emperor Ashoka’s envoys and the Silk Route in disseminating Buddhist thought.

— Echoing the significance of the occasion, Tsering Dorjay Lakrook, president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, said Buddha Purnima marks the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana (passing away) of the Buddha, making it one of the holiest days for Buddhists.

— Referring to the return of the relics, Lakrook said they had come back to Ladakh after over seven decades.

— The relics will be put on exhibition for 15 days and villagers from across Leh will be visiting the relics in a staggered manner, district administration officials said.

From the Ideas Page: The Buddhist trail can be a civilisational highway

— Harsh Vardhan Shringla writes: For a civilisation that holds Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar within its sacred geography, India still treats much of its Buddhist inheritance as a set of isolated stops rather than a single national mission.

— The Buddha was born in Lumbini, in present-day Nepal, but the defining arc of Buddhism, enlightenment at Bodh Gaya, the first sermon at Sarnath, mahaparinirvana at Kushinagar and the flowering of monastic learning at Nalanda, belongs decisively to the Indian landscape. If India wants to speak seriously of civilisational leadership, our Buddhist heritage must move from rhetoric to areas of concrete action.

— The source markets are not hypothetical. In 2024, India received 7.3 lakh tourists from just four Buddhist-linked Asian countries: Sri Lanka, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. These are not random tourists. For Japanese pilgrims, Bodh Gaya is associated with Zen and Pure Land traditions that shaped their civilisation.

— For Sri Lankans, the connection runs through the Mahavamsa, the 5th-century Pali chronicle, and the sacred gift of the Bodhi tree sapling, brought by Ashoka’s daughter, Sanghamitta, to Anuradhapura, where it still grows today as the world’s oldest historically recorded tree.

— For Thai and Korean pilgrims, India is the source of Theravada traditions that define their spiritual identities.

— Even if a small share of that community chose to make an India pilgrimage over time, the numbers would be transformational. India does not suffer from a lack of demand. It requires planning equal to the demand already waiting at its gates.

— To be fair, the state has not been idle. The Centre has sanctioned Buddhist projects for years under Swadesh Darshan and allied schemes, and recent approvals include a Rs 165.44 crore Buddhist Meditation and Experience Centre in Bodh Gaya and Rs 80.24 crore for integrated Buddhist tourism development in Shrawasti.

— The Union Budget 2026-27 has gone further, announcing a Buddhist circuit scheme for the Northeast and world-class training for 10,000 tour guides. Yet the Buddhist heartland still needs a sharper institutional instrument.

— The government has already used Buddhist relic diplomacy and heritage exhibitions to deepen ties with Asian partners; when holy relics travelled to Thailand, more than four million people paid their respects. That emotional reservoir is real .

— Buddhism’s genius was always its capacity for translation, not just linguistic, but cultural. As it moved from the Gangetic plain to Sri Lanka, it became Theravada. As it crossed the Himalayas into Tibet, it became Vajrayana. As it reached China, it absorbed Taoist sensibilities and became Chan, then Zen in Japan.

— In every case, it carried with it Indian concepts, Pali or Sanskrit vocabulary, the logic of Abhidharma, and the imagery of the Jataka tales, while adapting to new soils. India’s Buddhist circuit, at its best, can be the place where all these traditions come home simultaneously. That is not a tourism pitch. It is a civilisational reunion.

Do You Know:

— Buddhism was founded by the Buddha, who was born as Siddhartha. He was the son of king Suddhodana, a leader of the Sakya clan of Kapilavastu (located in modern day Nepal). According to various narrations, Maya gave birth to Siddhartha in a grove at Lumbini while en route to her natal home.

— According to the Pali texts, at the age of twenty-nine,  he encountered life-changing sights – an old person, a sick person, a corpse, and an ascetic. Siddhartha was deeply moved by these sights, which exposed him to the unavoidable realities of life. Hence, he renounced his royal life and became a wandering ascetic for six years, performing severe austerities.

— Eventually, he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree in Gaya (in Bihar) and came to be known as the Buddha or the Enlightened One. He is also referred to as Tathagata – the one who has liberated himself from the cycle of birth and death.

— The Buddha delivered his first sermon at a deer park near Banaras (Varanasi) to five of his disciples. This is referred to as dhammachakka-pavattana (the turning of the wheel of dhamma). In his sermon, the Buddha put forward a transformative path – a way of life that helps individuals to escape the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍From Piprahwa to the peaks: The sacred journey of the Buddha’s relics 

📍Knowledge Nugget: How Zehanpora excavation reveals Kashmir’s Buddhist past for your UPSC exam

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016)

1. The concept of Bodhisattva is central to the Hinayana sect of Buddhism.

2. Bodhisattva is a compassionate one on his way to enlightenment

3. Bodhisattva delays achieving his own salvation to help all sentient beings on their path to it.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate. (UPSC CSE 2020)

 

FRONT

Jet fuel price raised for international flights, domestic untouched

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora; Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc

What’s the ongoing story: Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) Friday kept the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF), or jet fuel, unchanged for scheduled domestic flights by airlines, while hiking the price for international flights and other non-scheduled operations.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is ATF?

— How is it different from petrol?

— How is ATF pricing determined in India?

— What is the reason for the crude oil crisis in India?

— Know about the strait of Hormuz and India’s dependence on this maritime chokepoint

— How is crude oil price determined in India?

— What are windfall gains?

— What were the major recommendations of the Kirit Parikh Committee?

Key Takeaways:

— According to the country’s largest OMC Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the move is part of the fuel retailers’ effort to insulate domestic consumers from the surge in international oil and fuel prices due to the West Asia war.

— OMCs usually revise prices of ATF and some other fuels on the first of every month in line with international prices.

— According to sources, the price of ATF for international flights has now been hiked by $76.55 per kl to $1,511.86 per kl from May 1, translating to a little over Rs 7 per litre.

— Major Indian airlines had urged the government for changes in the ATF pricing formula by reintroducing “crack spread bands” to limit how much OMCs can charge as margin on jet fuel, and to bring parity between prices for domestic and international flight operations.

— While the OMCs’ decision to not change ATF prices for domestic flights comes as a relief for Indian carriers, the significant price differential between prices for domestic and international flights persists.

— Usually, ATF accounts for about 40% of Indian airlines’ operational costs; the price surge has led to a further increase to 55-60%, according to an Indian airline association.

— IOC said that apart from ATF prices for domestic flights, it has also not touched prices of regular petrol and diesel for the general public, domestic LPG cylinders for use by households, and kerosene sold through the public distribution system.

— According to sources, commercial LPG price has been hiked by a steep Rs 993 per 19-kg cylinder; it now costs Rs 3,071.50 in Delhi.

— Commercial LPG accounts for less than 1% of the country’s total LPG consumption, and most of the remaining consumption serves demand from households.

— In a letter to the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) earlier this week, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which includes IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, wrote that the current “ad hoc” pricing mechanism for ATF is “creating severe imbalance in domestic and international operations and rendering airline networks unviable and unsustainable”.

From the Front page: Polls over, energy prices soaring due to West Asia crisis, fuel rate hike on table

— With international oil and fuel prices persisting at supernormal levels in the international market due to the West Asia crisis and polling in state elections over, a hike in prices of fuels like petrol, diesel and domestic LPG could be in the offing in the coming days or weeks, according to highly placed sources in the government.

— Public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) are incurring heavy losses on the sale of these fuels and have been pushing for price hikes. Petrol and diesel prices have been frozen for over four years now in India.

— Oil prices have been extremely volatile since the war began, but the petrol and diesel prices have not been hiked to protect the domestic consumer from this volatility. The Indian crude oil basket, which averaged $70 per barrel last year, averaged over $113 in April.

— With the effective halt in vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz – from where one-fifth of global oil and natural gas flows usually transited – global energy supplies have been hit and prices have skyrocketed.

— India depends heavily on oil and gas imports to meet its energy needs, and fuel prices in the country are linked to global oil and fuel price benchmarks. While India has been in a comfortable position with regard to crude oil, petrol, and diesel availability, it still has to bear the brunt of high prices.

— In the case of LPG, apart from high prices, supplies to India have been notably hit, forcing the government to ration commercial and industrial LPG sales in order to prioritise supplies to crores of households that depend on LPG.

Do You Know:

— Before 2010, India followed the Administered Pricing Mechanism, under which the government fixed fuel prices. These prices had little connection with global crude oil markets. State-owned firms such as Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum sold fuel at controlled prices, often below cost.

— The government later compensated them through subsidies, upstream support, and oil bonds. While this system protected consumers, it distorted price signals and burdened public finances.

— Reforms began on June 25, 2010, following the Kirit Parikh Committee’s recommendations. Petrol prices were deregulated. Diesel followed in 2014, and daily price revisions were introduced in 2017. On paper, India shifted to market-based pricing.

— But in reality, India never fully let go of the controls. Today’s system is best described as managed deregulation. Prices are linked to global prices and exchange rates, but government policy — especially taxes — determines the outcome.

— When crude prices fall, taxes rise, and oil companies retain higher margins, while consumers continue to pay the same high price. When crude prices rise, oil companies absorb losses as they delay price increases under government pressure.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India needs a clear, rules-based framework for fixing petrol prices

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) In the context of global oil prices, “Brent crude oil” is frequently referred to in the news. What does this term imply? (UPSC CSE 2011)

1. It is a major classification of crude oil.

2. It is sourced from the north sea.

3. It does not contain sulphur.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 2 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1,2, and 3

Dhaka, Delhi move to resume full-scale visa operations

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Moving to normalise ties after months of turmoil in the recent past, Delhi and Dhaka are taking the first step forward with full-scale resumption of visa services. While Bangladesh has resumed visas for Indian citizens across all categories, India is aiming at gradual resumption of visa operations over the next few weeks, The Indian Express has learnt.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the status of India-Bangladesh relationship?

— How is Delhi dealing with the newly formed government in Bangladesh?

— What are the major areas of cooperation between India and Bangladesh?

— Know about India’s relationship with the BNP government in Bangladesh

— What are the areas of conflict between both the nations?

— Connect India’s major foreign policy doctrine with Bangladesh – Neighbourhood First Policy, Act East Policy

— What is the issue related to Sheikh Hasina in the India-Bangladesh relationship?

— What is the significance of Bangladesh for India?

Key Takeaways:

— When Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman was in India last month, visa normalisation was among the key points raised by Dhaka. While all Bangladesh visa centres in India, including the High Commission in New Delhi and consular divisions in Kolkata, Agartala, Mumbai and Chennai, are now functional, Dhaka has sought early reciprocation by Delhi on the visa issue.

— In February, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Dhaka as part of the Indian delegation led by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to attend the swearing-in of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

— From the time the new BNP government has taken charge,  Delhi and Dhaka have been taking steps to recalibrate ties strained by the hostility of the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

— Once visa processes on both sides are normalised, Delhi and Dhaka will look at other points of convergence including economic ties and energy connectivity. High-level political engagements, sources said, could also be worked out in the coming weeks.

— With new Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi taking over soon, it is expected that full-scale resumption of visa services will be effected soon by India.

Do You Know:

— India has dealt with the BNP since General Ziaur Rahman, Tarique Rahman’s father, founded the party in 1978. His wife, Khaleda Zia, took over after his assassination and was central in shaping the party’s ideology and actions since 1982. Tarique Rahman, 60, took over control after her death late last year, shortly after he returned to Bangladesh after 17 years of self-exile.

— It was during the Khaleda Zia-led BNP-Jamaat coalition government between 2001 and 2006 that a sense of bitterness with India emerged. For India, the fact that insurgent groups in the Northeast and other terror groups were allowed to operate from Bangladeshi soil, and reports of Jamaat leaders giving protection to those elements, constituted a major security threat.

— After 2008, when Hasina came to power, she cracked down on these organisations, marking the beginning of strong counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Bangladesh.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍BNP landslide gives India a chance for a reset in ties

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Bangladesh Crisis and India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.

2. River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta.

3. River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Critically examine the compulsions which prompted India to play a decisive role in the emergence of Bangladesh. (UPSC CSE 2013)

 

EXPLAINED

How the Komagata Maru incident of 1914 threw light on racism

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement

Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present – significant events, personalities, issues.

What’s the ongoing story: In his second appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, popstar Diljit Dosanjh spoke about the 1914 Komagata Maru incident, where 376 Indian passengers were denied entry into Canada owing to racist immigration rules.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Komagata Maru incident?

— How is it linked to racism and colonialism?

— What is the significance of this movement on India’s freedom movement?

— How Racial prejudice impacted British policies in India?

— What is the role of the Ghadar Party in India’s freedom movement?

— Know about organisations that were formed outside India to fight against British imperialism

Key Takeaways:

— The passengers had to stay on the ship for nearly two months, even though they were desperate for food, water, and medical attention, before being sent back to India.

— The Komagata Maru, also called the Guru Nanaka Jahaz, was a Japanese steamship chartered in Hong Kong by Gurdit Singh. It sailed to Vancouver in 1914 with 376 Indians (340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims and 12 Hindus).

— These men — mostly farmers, former soldiers and labourers, all dressed in western suits to fit in in Canada — were driven by hopes of better wages to support their families in the dire conditions back home. The vessel left Hong Kong on April 4 and reached Vancouver on May 23.

— After the vessel reached the Burrard Inlet, only 24 passengers were allowed to disembark. Canadian authorities created a blockade for those aboard and denied food, water, and even medical help. By mid-July, the standoff was becoming increasingly intense.

— In response to the situation, the local South Asian community created a ‘Shore Committee’, led by Husain Rahim. They managed to raise $20,000, enough to retain control of the ship’s charter and continue fighting the authorities legally. However, the ship was eventually sent to India.

— Since both India and Canada were under British rule, the passengers considered themselves British subjects and held that they had the right to settle within British territories. However, a few years before this, in 1908, Canada had introduced the “continuous journey regulation”.

— This regulation prevented entry to those who did not “come from the country of their birth or citizenship by a continuous journey and or through tickets purchased before leaving the country of their birth or nationality”.

— After being forced out of Vancouver, the ship was denied entry at other ports, including Hong Kong and Singapore, as World War I had begun and British authorities were wary of the anti-colonial sentiment.

— When the vessel reached Budge Budge, located on the eastern bank of the Hooghly, the authorities tried to move the passengers on a special train bound for Punjab. But the passengers refused and began to march into Kolkata.

— The troops opened fire, killing 20 and injuring several. Gurdit Singh escaped but surrendered after Mahatma Gandhi asked him to do so as a patriot. He was imprisoned for five years.

Do You Know:

— Racial prejudice was always a factor, which was inflamed further by the increasing competition for jobs as a result of largescale Asian migration. Vancouver saw largescale anti-Japanese riots in 1907.

— But a more important — and historically relevant — reason for keeping out the migrants was the rapid growth of a revolutionary nationalism among the Indians who had settled in Canada and the United States.

— In 1913, Lala Hardayal, Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna, Maulana Barkatullah, and several other Punjabi Indians in the US and Canada formed the Ghadar Party to fight the Raj from overseas. The mouthpiece of the revolutionaries, The Ghadar — literally ‘Revolt’ — described itself as “Angrezi Raj Ka Dushman”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Komagata Maru tragedy: Saying sorry isn’t enough to address colonial oppression 

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) Which of the following incidents is related to the Shore Committee?

(a) Swadeshi movement

(b) Komagata Maru

(c) Home Rule League

(d) Champaran Satyagraha

Is the rupee back to the ‘fragile five’ days of 2013?

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: The Indian rupee hit an all-time low of 95.33 to a dollar earlier on Thursday (April 30). It means that when trading international currencies, buying a single US dollar requires 95.33 rupees.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are the reasons for the decline in the value of rupees in comparison to the US dollar?

— How is the price of the Indian rupee determined?

— What is the current account deficit?

— What is “depreciation of Rupee”?

— What is the difference between Devaluation of Rupee and depreciation of Rupee?

— What were the reasons for the rolling back of quantitative easing (or QE) policy?

— How does the rupee slide impact the import and export in the country?

Key Takeaways:

— At the start of 2026, a dollar could be exchanged for 90 rupees, and a year ago for less than 85. In other words, there has been a sharp slide in the value of the rupee relative to the US dollar — a fall of 12% in just the past 12 months.

— For perspective, while it is true that the rupee loses value to the dollar every year, the slide is only about 3% to 4% over 12 months. Such a sharp decline is reminiscent of September 2013, when the rupee lost 12% of its value against the dollar just between January and September.

— quantitative easing (or QE) policy essentially means money can be borrowed cheaply because a central bank prints lots of it. When investors can borrow in US dollars at almost zero interest rates, it makes sense for them to borrow in dollars and invest in economies across the world that promise high growth and returns.

— But when the policy stopped, it signalled that interest rates in the US were set to rise because the tap of printing fresh money had been turned off.

— Most investors pulled back money from emerging markets to invest in US bonds. A US government bond is essentially loaning money to the US government and thus works as the most risk-free investment.

— But India, Indonesia, Brazil, South Africa and Turkey were the worst affected for another key reason: these economies already ran a current account deficit (meaning that as they traded goods and services with the rest of the world, more money went out than came in).

— They could run such a current account deficit only because they had a capital account surplus (meaning in terms of investments — foreign direct investment and investments in their stock markets — more money came in than what went out).

— But with QE rollback, the investment flows reversed, and that created a situation where the relative demand of these currencies against the US dollar crashed. Since exchange rates are essentially driven by the relative demand of any two currencies, these five currencies (INR,  Indonesian rupiah, Brazilian real, South African rand, Turkish lira) lost value against the dollar.

Chart 1 on rupee and fragile five currencies against the dollar today.

— On the fragility of the currencies, CHART 1 shows how each of the fragile five has fared against the US dollar over the past 12 months. Any movement below the 0% horizontal line means the dollar has weakened, and any movement above means the dollar has strengthened against the relevant currency.

— India is the second-worst (a fall of 12.1%) this time around. In fact, two economies — Brazil and South Africa — have seen their currencies appreciate against the dollar (by 12% and 10% respectively), or roughly the same degree by which the Indian rupee has depreciated. The Indonesian rupiah has lost just 4% of its value against the dollar.

Chart 3 on BoP comparison.

— In CHART 3, the green and yellow lines show the change in current account “deficit” (implying money going out on a net basis) every quarter. The red and brown lines show the quarterly change in the capital account, which was mostly in surplus and sometimes in deficit.

Do You Know:

— The value of the Indian rupee is more than just a price; it is a vital indicator of a country’s economic legitimacy, macroeconomic stability, and worldwide position. Its movement reflects both domestic fundamentals and global opinions of India’s economic power.

— The rupee reflects macroeconomic stability. A stable currency indicates good economic management, which includes smart fiscal policies, controlled inflation, and a sustainable balance of payments. Persistent depreciation, on the other hand, may signal structural weaknesses such as external imbalances, rising import dependence, or declining competitiveness.

— The rupee has an important role in determining investor confidence. Currency stability is viewed by global investors as an indicator of policy legitimacy, institutional strength, and economic resilience. A falling rupee can reduce investor confidence, raise uncertainty, and discourage capital inflows.

— The Balance of Payments records every financial transaction between India and the rest of the world. Money coming in is marked positive. Money going out is marked negative. It captures the relative demand of the rupee vs foreign currencies — a critical indicator of economic health.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Rupee is more than a measure of price. It’s also a barometer of credibility

📍Knowledge Nugget | BoP basics for your UPSC exam: Current account, capital account and rupee dynamics

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE, 2021)

1. The effect of devaluation of a currency is that it necessarily improves the competitiveness of the domestic exports in the foreign markets

2. increases the foreign value of domestic currency

3. improves the trade balance

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2

(c) 3 only

(d) 2 and 3

(6) Which one of the following is not the most likely measure the Government/RBI takes to stop the slide of the Indian rupee? (UPSC CSE, 2019)

(a) Curbing imports of non-essential goods and promoting exports

(b) Encouraging Indian borrowers to issue rupee-denominated Masala Bonds

(c) Easing conditions relating to external commercial borrowing

(d) Following an expansionary monetary policy

Journey of EVMs between polling and counting

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein

What’s the ongoing story: A day after polling concluded in the West Bengal Assembly election on Wednesday (April 30), Chief Minister and All-India Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee on Thursday night hit out at the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP. She alleged that there had been an attempt to tamper with the electronic voting machines (EVMs) stored at a strongroom till counting of votes on May 4.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about the role and functions of the ECI

— What are EVMs?

— When and why was it introduced?

— What is the role and function of a Returning Officer (RO)?

— What are the major electoral reforms introduced in recent years?

— What are the provisions for postal ballots?

Key Takeaways:

— The ECI’s procedure for handling EVMs before, during and after polling is laid out in its Manual on Electronic Voting Machines, 2023.

— Before the election, EVMs are stored in a warehouse under the control of the District Election Officer (DEO), who is the District Magistrate. Once elections are underway, the EVMs are randomised in the presence of representatives of national and state-recognised parties and sent to the respective strongrooms in each Assembly constituency.

— The entire process is to be conducted under 24/7 CCTV coverage, the manual says. The strongrooms also have armed security. It is from these strongrooms that the EVMs are dispatched to the polling booths.

— After polls close on voting day, the EVMs are to be sealed and escorted back to the strongrooms by the poll officials and security personnel. Candidates and their polling agents usually follow the vehicles carrying the polled EVMs from the booths to the strongrooms.

— The manual says all polled EVMs should be stored in one strongroom and unused EVMs in a separate strongroom marked “reserve EVM”.

— The manual lays out all specifications of the strongroom, starting with the dimensions of the shelves on which the EVMs are to be placed (6 feet by 2 feet). The strongrooms must have a single entry/exit point, with all other doors and windows to be sealed with brick masonry or concrete. This door needs a double lock system.

— The keys of the first lock are to be kept with the Returning Officer (RO), and the keys of the second lock with the Assistant RO. At least one platoon of armed police has to be deployed 24/7.

— The protocol for the polled EVMs, as per the manual, includes informing all candidates 24 hours in advance so that they can depute representatives to keep a watch on the security arrangements. The RO is to visit the storage campus, till the inner-most perimeter, twice a day to check the log book and video feeds, and to send a daily report to the DEO.

— It is from these strong rooms that the EVMs are taken to counting centres, usually one per district, for the counting of votes. Again, the process is to be conducted under videography and with the knowledge of the candidates’ representatives.

— Similarly, for postal ballots, which are used by service voters, and categories like those above 85 years and persons with disabilities, the protocols have been defined by the ECI. The RO is supposed to keep all postal ballots received by the post office in separate envelopes for each day. These are to be kept in a strongroom for postal ballots at the RO headquarters.

Do You Know:

— A Returning Officer is responsible for overseeing the election in a constituency, or sometimes in two constituencies, as directed by the Election Commission (EC). The EC appoints the Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officer for a constituency in consultation with the governments of the State or Union Territory as the case may be.

— EVM or Electronic Voting Machines are used to cast vote without revealing your identity. It is used in Indian General and State Elections. It has replaced paper ballots in local, state and general (parliamentary) elections in India.

— EVM has two parts, it consists of a ‘control unit’ and a ‘balloting unit’, connected by a 5-metre cable. The control unit is with the Election Commission-appointed polling officer; the balloting unit is in the voting compartment into which the voter enters to cast the vote in secret by pressing the button against the name and symbol of the candidate of her choice.

— The control unit is the EVM’s ‘brain’ — the balloting unit is turned on only after the polling officer presses the ‘Ballot’ button on it. The EVM runs on a 6 volt single alkaline battery fitted in the control unit, and can even be used in areas that have no electricity.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What is an EVM? How does it work?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(7) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.

2. Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.

3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful? (UPSC CSE 2017)

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Learning outcomes and child health are linked	Soumya Swaminathan writes: As India observed POSHAN Pakhwada last month, attention was focused on improving nutrition outcomes for women and children. This year’s emphasis on early brain development is especially timely. Global evidence suggests that investments in early-childhood development can generate significant economic returns — through higher future earnings, better learning outcomes, and reduced social costs — often exceeding returns from those made later in life. India can strengthen early brain-development outcomes through three practical administrative priorities. First, make care a defined function of existing frontline platforms. Anganwadi centres and primary health services already reach families during pregnancy and early childhood. Where feasible, anganwadi activities can be adjusted to better serve younger children and working caregivers. Second, link childcare provision more deliberately with livelihoods and social protection programmes, with an enabling role for the private sector. Third, strengthen programme reviews by tracking child development outcomes alongside service delivery. While nutrition programmes are closely monitored, reviews often focus on inputs such as rations distributed or beneficiaries reached.
India’s 1st barrier-less toll booth opens: How will it speed up ride	In a significant move, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on Friday (May 1) operationalised India’s first Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) barrier-less tolling system at the Choryasi toll plaza on the Surat–Bharuch section of NH-48 in Gujarat. Choryasi ranks among the top 10 toll plazas in the country in user fee collection.

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (b)  2. (b)  3. (b)   4. (b)  5. (a)   6. (d)   7. (d)

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