News In Short 10-02-2026

Bastar Pandum Festival

Syllabus: GS1/Culture

Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the people of Chhattisgarh for the special celebration of ‘Bastar Pandum’ festival.

About the Festival

• Bastar Pandum is a cultural festival celebrated in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh showcasing tribal heritage and cultural traditions.
• Held from February 7 to 9, the festival has emerged as a major cultural platform highlighting Bastar’s tribal identity through art, music, dance, handicrafts, and indigenous cuisine.
• More than 700 artists from 84 teams participated in divisional-level competitions across twelve cultural disciplines, including traditional tribal dances, folk music, handicrafts, indigenous musical instruments, and traditional cuisine.

Source: DDNews

Form 7 Controversy

Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance 

Context

• The bulk submission of Form 7 applications by anonymous or fraudulent actors during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has triggered controversy over possible misuse of the voter deletion process.

What is Form 7?

• Form 7 is used to object to the inclusion of a name in the electoral roll, including one’s own name.
• Grounds for objection include: death of the voter, duplicate entry, shifting of residence, ineligibility due to age, citizenship, or misrepresentation.
• Legal Basis: Governed by Section 13(2) of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, framed under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
  • An objection must be filed by a person whose name is already included in the electoral roll.
  • Booth Level Agents (BLAs) are also permitted to file objections.
• Recent Change: In 2022, the Election Commission amended Form 7 rules to allow any voter within a constituency to file objections, instead of restricting it to voters from the same polling booth, thereby widening its scope.
• Verification Process: After submission, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) conduct physical verification.
  • In case of death: Death certificate and confirmation by three neighbours are required.
  • If the voter is absent: BLO must make three visits to verify shifting of residence.
  • The concerned voter is issued a notice and given an opportunity for hearing.
  • Appeals against the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO)’s decision can be filed before the District Magistrate within 15 days.

Do You Know?

• Filing a false declaration is punishable under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, with imprisonment up to one year, or fine, or both.

Source: TH

Bonded Labour Abolition Act 1976: 50 years of abolition law

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• February 9, 1976, marked an important milestone in equality in Indian society with the enactment of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act (BLSA).

About

• Bonded labour (or debt bondage) is defined as a condition where money is lent in such a way that the debtor is forced to pay back through labour instead of money.
• BLSA is enacted to give effect to Article 23 of the Constitution (prohibition of trafficking and forced labour).
• Bonded labour was deeply entrenched due to poverty, caste hierarchies, landlessness, and indebtedness.
• India ratified ILO Convention No. 29 (Forced Labour) in 1954, strengthening the legal obligation.
• Objectives: 
  • Abolish the bonded labour system.
  • Free bonded labourers and extinguish their debts.
  • Prevent economic and social exploitation.
  • Provide a legal framework for rehabilitation.

Source: IE

India Announces 175-Million-Dollar Special Economic Package for Seychelles

Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations

Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a $175 million Special Economic Package for Seychelles during the visit of Seychelles President Dr. Patrick Herminie to India.

About

• India and Seychelles have also signed 7 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) across various sectors, including Health, Meteorology, Electronics and Information Technology and Good Governance.
• The agreements include technical and scientific collaboration between the India Meteorological Department and the Seychelles Meteorological Authority.

Strategic Importance of Seychelles for India

• Geostrategic Location in the Indian Ocean: Seychelles lies near major sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) in the western Indian Ocean.
  • It is critical for maritime domain awareness (MDA) and anti-piracy operations.
• Vision MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions): 
  • Focuses on maritime security, sustainable development, and regional stability.
  • Expands upon India’s earlier SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine.
  • Strengthens India’s role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean.

About Seychelles

• Seychelles is an archipelago nation of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, northeast of Madagascar, known as Africa’s smallest and least populous country.
  • Its capital is Victoria on Mahé island.
  • Biodiversity: It is known for rare species like the Coco de Mer, the Aldabra giant tortoise, and the rare black parrot.

Source: AIR

‘Next-generation System’: To Strengthen Tsunami Monitoring

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• India is working towards setting up a Regional Service Centre (RSC) in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, aiming to strengthen its existing tsunami monitoring and warning system.

About

• Present System: The current system is designed to mainly detect tsunamis triggered by earthquakes. 
  • Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) receives earthquake signals and processes its tsunami potential at its Hyderabad centre. 
  • But this method of marine data gathering poses limitations with surface buoys often getting stolen or vandalised. 
  • Sometimes, data from satellites is also insufficient.
• India is now working on developing a good strategy, where the system will be able to also detect tsunamis triggered by non-seismic causes. 
  • This new centre will also offer services to partnering countries, including Sri Lanka, having coasts along the Indian Ocean.
• INCOIS is the nodal agency operating the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC).
• Globally, 80% of tsunamis are triggered by undersea earthquakes and the remaining occur following non-seismic causes like landslides, submarine volcanic activity and mudslides.
• Significance: The latest infrastructure can further facilitate the monitoring of acoustic signals, which are faster in capturing earthquake signals than the existing network.

Reasons for Choosing Andaman & Nicobar

• India’s only known volcano, at the Barren islands located along the Andaman Sea, may be largely dormant but holds potential threat. 
  • In case the epicenter of the earthquake or the volcanism is located close to the Andaman and Nicobar islands, then the severest to be affected by tsunami would be the islanders.
• This is why India is heavily investing in the Andaman and Nicobar.

Source: IE

Right of Way (RoW) Delays

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy

Context

• Delays arising from Right of Way (RoW) issues have emerged as a major hurdle in India’s power transmission expansion, particularly affecting renewable energy evacuation projects.

What is Right of Way (RoW)?

• Right of Way refers to the strip of land beneath and adjacent to a transmission line required for construction, operation, and maintenance.
  • It is also known as the transmission corridor, which ensures minimum safety clearances.
• RoW ensures compliance with electromagnetic field exposure norms and safety standards.
• It allows utilities to prevent obstruction from tall trees, buildings, or other structures that may interfere with transmission lines.

Constraints Leading to RoW Delays

• Land Acquisition Issues: 
  • Resistance from landowners demanding higher compensation.
  • Disputes over valuation of land under transmission corridors.
• Forest and Environmental Clearances: 
  • Delays in forest clearances for lines passing through protected areas.
  • Restrictions in ecologically sensitive zones, including Great Indian Bustard (GIB) habitats.

Source: IE

Mangrove clam (Geloina erosa)

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In News

• ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute achieved a global first by inducing captive breeding of Geloina erosa (mangrove/mud clam), offering hope for restoring overexploited populations in Indian mangroves.

About

• Geloina erosa (also Polymesoda erosa) is a large bivalve (up to 10 cm shell width) inhabiting organic-rich, muddy intertidal zones of mangroves and estuaries across South and Southeast Asia.
• It is known locally as “Kandal Kakka” in northern Kerala, it serves as an efficient filter feeder, recycling nutrients, stabilizing sediments via burrowing, and bolstering ecosystem resilience.
• Ecologically, it acts as an efficient filter feeder, improving estuarine water quality through nutrient recycling. 
• Its burrowing behaviour stabilises sediments, enhances nutrient cycling, and strengthens mangrove ecosystem resilience.

Source: TH