Why in News?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the annual Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Odisha, Sikkim, Chandigarh and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, where the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is complete and final rolls have been published.

About the Special Summary Revision

• Body: The Election Commission of India, a constitutional body under Article 324, with powers over the preparation of electoral rolls.
• Legal basis: Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, which governs the preparation and revision of electoral rolls.
• Who runs it: The Chief Electoral Officer and Electoral Registration Officers, with Chief Secretaries asked to provide manpower and resources.
• What it does: Updates the existing roll by adding new voters, deleting names of those who have died or moved, and correcting entries, without a house-to-house re-verification of every voter.

Background

• SSR versus SIR: The SSR updates an existing roll through claims and objections. The SIR is a deeper, house-to-house re-verification of the whole roll, which began in Bihar in 2025 and was extended to other States.
• Qualifying dates: A person must be 18 on the qualifying date to be enrolled. Since 2022, there are four such dates a year (1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October), so young people need not wait a year.
• Forms: Form 6 (new voter), Form 6B (Aadhaar linking), Form 7 (objection or deletion) and Form 8 (corrections or shifting).
• Voting age: 18 years (61st Constitutional Amendment, 1988). Article 326 provides for adult suffrage.
• Aadhaar linking: Voluntary, under changes made by the Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2021.

Why in News?

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amended the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025.

Members of six non-Muslim communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India on or before 31 December 2024 without valid travel documents, or whose documents have expired, must now get an “appropriate visa” to continue staying.

Key Points

• The amendment: Notified on 4 November 2026.
• Who is covered: Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India, fearing religious persecution, on or before 31 December 2024.
• What stays: The exemption from needing a valid passport or visa at the time of entry and stay continues.
• What changes: For continued stay, they now need an appropriate visa.
• Link with CAA: The categories align with the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. The CAA’s citizenship cut-off remains 31 December 2014.
• Visa Manual: The Order now defines the “Visa Manual”, issued by the Central government.
• Nepal and Bhutan: Indian citizens travelling to Nepal or Bhutan, and Nepali and Bhutanese citizens entering or leaving India, must show identity documents specified in the Visa Manual.
• Other groups: Categories such as Tibetan refugees and registered Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are reorganised. Tamil refugees who took shelter up to 9 January 2015 remain exempt from penal provisions.

Background

• The Act: The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 (in force 1 September 2025) replaced the Foreigners Act, 1946 and three other older laws.
• The 2025 Exemption Order: Issued under that Act. It consolidated earlier exemptions and replaced the Registration of Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 1957 and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Order, 2007.
• Earlier cut-off: Similar exemptions began in 2015 for those who entered by 31 December 2014.
• Criticism: Some critics say religion-based categories raise questions under Article 14.

Why in News?

The world marked the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict on 6 November.

The day draws attention to the ecological damage caused by war, with the Gaza Strip a recent example documented by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

Key Points

• The day: The UN General Assembly declared 6 November each year as the day, in Resolution 56/4 adopted on 5 November 2001.
• Why: War damages ecosystems and resources long after the fighting, often across borders and for future generations.
• PERAC: The International Law Commission adopted 27 draft principles on the Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts in 2022, and the General Assembly took note of them.

What PERAC Says

• It applies before, during and after conflict, including occupation.
• An occupying power must use natural resources for the benefit of the local population and protect the environment.
• A State that causes environmental damage through a wrongful act must make full reparation.

UNEP on Gaza (September 2025)

• Trees and crops: Gaza lost 97% of its tree crops, 95% of its shrubland and 82% of its annual crops.
• Water: Freshwater is scarce and contaminated, as sewage and water systems are destroyed.
• Buildings: About 78% of buildings are damaged or destroyed, leaving about 61 million tonnes of debris.
• Soil: Soil damage raises flood risk and cuts groundwater recharge.

Background

• Additional Protocol I (1977) to the Geneva Conventions: Articles 35(3) and 55 prohibit warfare causing widespread, long-term and severe environmental damage.
• ENMOD Convention (1976): Bans hostile use of environmental modification techniques.
• Rome Statute: Treats such damage as a war crime in international armed conflicts.
• Earlier examples: Kuwait oil fires (1991), Agent Orange in Vietnam and the Ukraine war.
• UNEP: The UN’s lead environmental body.
• Links to the SDGs: The day connects to SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 16 (peace and justice).