Why in News

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that a low-pressure area in the southeast Bay of Bengal will intensify into Cyclone Amab.

Landfall is expected near the north Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha coast around the early hours of 28 October.

About Cyclones in the North Indian Ocean

• Where they form: India’s east and west coasts are hit by cyclones from the north Indian Ocean, which includes the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.
• Cyclone seasons: The north Indian Ocean has two cyclone seasons, before the monsoon (April to June) and after it (October to December).
• Northeast monsoon link: In strong El Niño years, warmer Bay of Bengal waters increase evaporation, and cyclonic circulations in November and December release this heat as intense rain. The northeast monsoon brings nearly half of Tamil Nadu’s annual rainfall.

About Cyclone Naming

• It will be called Amab, a name proposed by Bangladesh.
• Cyclone names in the region come from a list contributed by the member countries of the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones, and are used in order. The IMD is the regional agency that names cyclones in the north Indian Ocean.
• Names make it easier to track a cyclone and to issue clear warnings to the public.

About Cyclone Formation

• Conditions: A cyclone needs sea surface water of about 26.5°C or more, a low-pressure disturbance, low wind shear and enough Coriolis force, so it rarely forms near the equator.
• Why the Bay of Bengal: It has warm, shallow waters and gets many low-pressure systems from the monsoon trough, so it produces three of the four cyclones a year in the north Indian Ocean.
• IMD’s role: The IMD is one of the six Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) of the WMO and issues cyclone advisories for the north Indian Ocean.

Why in News

Elections to 28 seats in the Legislative Councils of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka were held on Friday. The results will be declared next week.

About Legislative Councils

• Bicameral state legislature: A state with a Council has two houses, the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. The Council is a second layer of the law-making process.
• Colonial roots: The Montagu-Chelmsford reforms led to the Council of State at the national level in 1919. The Government of India Act, 1935 set up bicameral legislatures in provinces, and a Legislative Council first functioned in Bengal in 1937.
• Debate in the Constituent Assembly: Members disagreed on the need for Councils. Some argued that, with adult franchise, power should not rest only with the lower house.
• Link with the Rajya Sabha: Bills need the Council’s approval to become law, members must be above 30 years of age, and they serve six-year terms through indirect elections. One-third of the members retire every two years.
• Limited powers: The Council cannot reject the Assembly’s suggestions on a Money Bill, which is one reason the Assembly is seen as having the upper hand.

About the Constitutional Provisions

• Article 169: Parliament can create or abolish a Council by law if the Legislative Assembly passes a resolution by a majority of its total membership and by not less than two-thirds of members present and voting.
• Article 171 (size): The number of MLCs cannot be more than one-third of the number of MLAs in the state, and not less than 40.
• Article 171 (election): Polls are held by proportional representation through the single transferable vote.
• Who elects whom: In general, one-third of MLCs are elected by members of municipalities, district boards and other local authorities. One-twelfth are elected by graduates of at least three years’ standing, and one-twelfth by teachers in schools of at least secondary level for three years. Voters in the graduate and teacher seats must submit forms with proof of qualification.
• Nominated members: The Governor nominates some people with special knowledge in fields such as literature and science.

Mains Angle

• Representation of expertise: Graduate, teacher and nominated seats are meant to bring educated and professional voices into law-making.
• Subordinate role: Because the Council cannot overrule the Assembly on Money Bills, its role is largely to review and delay, not to decide.
• Political choice: Creating or abolishing a Council depends on the Assembly and Parliament, so it often reflects the ruling party’s interests.
• Electoral signal: Results in graduate and teacher constituencies are read as signals of public mood ahead of major elections.

Why in News

France has confirmed the first known human case of the Shamonda virus, in a patient who died at a hospital in Lyon earlier this month. The health and agriculture ministries said there is no health risk to the general public at this time.

About the Shamonda Virus

• It is a vector-borne virus of the genus Orthobunyavirus, family Peribunyaviridae, and belongs to the Simbu group of viruses.
• It was first isolated in cattle in Nigeria in 1965, and has since been identified in parts of Africa, Asia and Europe.
• It spreads through bites of Culicoides midges, which are small fly-like insects.
• Recent reports have mainly concerned cattle, but cases have also been reported in sheep, goats, horses and alpacas.
• Signs in animals include fever, diarrhoea, reduced milk production and reproductive disorders. Neurological signs are less common, and laboratory tests are needed to confirm infection because the signs resemble other diseases.

About the Outbreak and Control

• The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) says two variants, SHAV-EU1 and SHAV-EU2, caused this year’s outbreaks in Europe.
• Outbreaks of Simbu group viruses tend to occur in cycles, following the seasonal patterns of midges. European variants may behave differently from those in endemic countries, especially in cattle not exposed before.
• There is no commercially available vaccine.
• The WOAH suggests fine mesh screens, double-door entry and exit systems, reducing vector-breeding sites, vector surveillance and control around buildings, and moving animals when vector activity is low.