Why in News

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls in 17 States and Union Territories, including poll-bound Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
• The annual exercise was stalled last year because of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

Where the SSR applies

• 17 States and UTs: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
• Schedule later: The 16 States and UTs where the SIR is on or has just ended, including Odisha.
• Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh: The schedule will follow weather conditions.

SSR and SIR compared

• The SSR is a routine annual revision, and the SIR is an intensive, one-time exercise.
• The SIR asks for proof of citizenship and mapping with earlier rolls. The SSR does not.

Forms and provisions

• Form 6 is for inclusion of a name, Form 7 for objection or deletion, and Form 8 for correction of entries.
• Article 324 gives the ECI control over the preparation of rolls, and Article 326 provides adult suffrage.
• The Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 prescribes the forms.

Mains Angle

• The SSR restores the regular enrolment cycle and eases entry for new voters, especially those turning 18 during the year.
• Trust is still an issue after the large SIR deletions, and opposition parties want machine-readable rolls, not image-based PDFs.
• Two parallel processes, the SIR in some States and the SSR in others, can confuse voters and officials.
• Publishing data on deletions and objections would help rebuild confidence in the rolls.

Why in News

• The Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) asked a US citizen and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholder, an actor, to leave India by 28 October.

About the OCI scheme

• It began in 2005. India does not allow dual citizenship, so an OCI remains a foreign national.
• Benefits include a lifelong multiple-entry visa and exemption from FRRO registration.
• Under Section 7B of the Citizenship Act, OCIs cannot vote or contest elections.
• Article 19 rights are for citizens only.
• The March 2021 notification requires special permission for research, missionary work, journalism and entry to restricted areas.

About the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025

• It came into force in September 2025 and replaced the Foreigners Act, 1946.
• Section 7 lets the government regulate a foreigner’s entry, stay and activities, including a direction not to remain in India. Section 29 allows removal for contravention of the Act or on an adverse security report.
• These powers have been delegated to FRROs.

Cancelling OCI registration

• Section 7D of the Citizenship Act allows cancellation on grounds such as fraud, disaffection towards the Constitution or threat to security, and requires a reasonable opportunity of being heard.
• A leave-India direction has no appeal procedure. The remedy is a representation or a writ under Article 226.

Prelims Pointers

• OCIs are foreign nationals with no right to vote or contest elections.
• Section 7D of the Citizenship Act governs cancellation of OCI registration.
• The Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025 replaced the Foreigners Act, 1946.

Mains Angle

• The Act gives wide executive discretion over foreigners without naming protest as prohibited conduct.
• It raises the question of how far freedom of speech and assembly extends to foreign nationals.
• Courts have insisted on specific allegations and a fair hearing, which the lack of an appeal route may weaken.

Why in News

• The Jammu and Kashmir High Court banned the use of motorboats on Dal Lake, including shikara motorboats and fuel-driven jet skis.
• It directed the government to explore solar-powered e-engines to check pollution.

Key Facts

• Dal Lake is an urban lake in Srinagar, known for its shikaras, houseboats and floating gardens.
• It is a major base for tourism in Kashmir, which is why motorised boats and tourist traffic add to its pollution.

Lake pollution from motorboats

• Fuel-driven boats release oil, fuel residue and exhaust into the water, which harms water quality and aquatic life.
• Solar and electric boats cut fuel discharge and noise.

About Dal Lake: Geography

• Location: Dal Lake lies in Srinagar, in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, at the foot of the Zabarwan range on the eastern side of the city.
• Type: It is a freshwater, shallow Himalayan lake and is a tourism and urban lake, with houseboats on its shores.
• Main inflow: The Telbal Nallah is its chief feeder stream, bringing water from the Zabarwan hills in the catchment.
• Outflow: Water drains into the Jhelum river through channels such as Tsunt Kul and Nallah Amir Khan, so the lake is part of the Jhelum basin.
• Basins: It is divided into parts including Hazratbal, Bod Dal, Gagribal and Lokut Dal. Nigeen Lake is separated from it by a causeway.
• Islands: Sona Lank and Rupa Lank are the two islands in Lokut Dal, and Rupa Lank is the site of Char Chinari.
• Floating gardens: Locally called Raad, they are mats of vegetation used to grow vegetables.
• Surroundings: The Mughal gardens of Nishat Bagh and Shalimar Bagh lie along its shore, as does the Hazratbal shrine.

Mains Angle

• The order shows the judiciary acting to protect fragile ecosystems and balancing tourism income with environmental sustainability.
• Boat operators depend on tourism for their livelihoods, so the shift to solar or electric boats needs financial and technical support.
• Enforcement needs coordination among the lake authority, tourism department and police.

Schemes

• The Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) is a nationwide sensor network for hyper-local weather data, mainly for crop loss assessment under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
• It is run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare through the Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC).
• The project is a year behind deadline, with over 96% of the planned automatic weather stations and automatic rain gauges not yet installed.
• The delay is blamed on site selection and a December 2025 rule limiting rooftop gauges to 10% of the total.

Awards and Days

• Date and theme: It is observed on 16 October. The 2026 theme is “Innovate today, nourish tomorrow”.
• Hunger today: About 645 million people face hunger, and one-third of the world cannot afford a healthy diet.
• India’s safety net: Under the National Food Security Act, 2013, about 81 crore people get subsidised foodgrains. They have been free since January 2024 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, which is extended until 2028.
• Delivery system: The Targeted Public Distribution System uses digital ration cards, Aadhaar seeding and One Nation One Ration Card, so migrant workers can claim grain anywhere.
• UN agencies in India: The FAO, IFAD and WFP support India with technical help, finance and better food distribution.
• Static link: The day marks the founding of the FAO in 1945.