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Current Edge Daily Brief 22nd September 2025
Quote of the Day
“The United States should be an asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty.” – THOMAS PAINE
What the Others Say
“If the American ideal of freedom means anything, it is that Americans engage in an extremely wide range of political speech, including the tasteless and the offensive.” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
Table of Contents
THE BIG PICTURE
- IE Explained: Can voters be deleted without consent? The law behind Rahul Gandhi’s allegation on Aland seat (Damini Nath)
- TH Science: Astronomers have spotted the biggest bangs since the Big Bang (Prakash Chandra)
NEWS IN SHORT
- Kurmi ST agitation issue
- US withdraws sanctions waiver to Chabahar port
- Palestinian state recognised by U.K., Australia and Canada
- Mohanlal dedicates Phalke award to Indian film industry
The Big Picture
IE Explained: Can voters be deleted without consent? The law behind Rahul Gandhi’s allegation on Aland seat
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Polity
Why in News?
Rahul Gandhi alleged 6,018 voters’ names in Karnataka’s Aland constituency were attempted to be deleted online without their consent in 2023.
Legal Basis
- RP Act, 1950 (Sec 22) – EROs empowered to correct/delete entries.
- Grounds for deletion – Death, not ordinarily resident, underage, not citizen, already enrolled elsewhere.
- Due process – Inquiry, notice, 7 days for reply, hearing, order.
Forms & Procedure
- Form 7 – For objection/deletion (self or others).
- Submission – Online (voter portal/app/ECINet) or offline via BLO.
- Applicant details – Own name, EPIC, phone + details of objected voter.
- Reasons available – Death / Underage / Shifted / Already enrolled / Not citizen.
- Declaration – False info punishable.
- Processing – ERO issues notice, BLO field verification, hearing, final order.
Online System
- ERONet (2018), ECINet (2025) – Centralised portals for processing.
- Access – Applicants (voters portal), officers (ERONet/ECINet).
- Workflow – Forms reach ERO/Asst. ERO → notice → inquiry → order.
Gaps & Risks
- No proof required at filing – Vulnerable to misuse.
- Phone–EPIC mismatch possible – Linking of others’ EPIC with different numbers.
- Safeguards – Final deletion only after ERO inquiry + BLO field check.
- Aland case – Attempted misuse detected during inquiry; CID flagged 18 times to ECI.
Test Your Knowledge 01
Q1. Consider the following with respect to Form 7 under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960:
- It can be filed only for deletion of one’s own name.
- It can be filed both offline through BLOs and online via ECINet portal.
- No documentary proof is mandatory at the time of filing.
Which of the statements is/are correct?
(a) 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: Others’ names too can be objected against.
IE Explained: Astronomers have spotted the biggest bangs since the Big Bang
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Science & Tech
Why in News?
Astronomers discovered Extreme Nuclear Transients (ENTs) – most energetic explosions since the Big Bang, surpassing gamma-ray bursts.
Key Concepts
- Black Holes
- Supermassive BHs at galactic centres (e.g., Sagittarius A* in Milky Way).
- Event horizon: point of no return, extreme tidal forces.
- Tidal Disruption & Spaghettification
- Star stretched into thin stream when nearing BH.
- Huge electromagnetic energy release → transient phenomena.
The life of an Extreme Nuclear Transient Event.
Extreme Nuclear Transients (ENTs)
- New class of transients (brightness changes over short times).
- Powered by accretion of debris of massive stars (>3 solar masses) devoured by supermassive BHs.
- Energy: up to 10× GRBs.
- Observability: luminous in radio wavelengths for years.
- Host galaxies → larger, with more massive BHs.
- Rarer than TDEs; essentially TDEs of very massive stars.
Comparison with Other Explosions
- Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs):
- Earlier record holders for energy.
- Produced by BH formation, most luminous EM events before ENTs.
- Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs):
- Star torn apart by BH; energy ≈ 100+ supernovae.
- Similar hot spectra & emissions but less energetic, more common than ENTs.
- Fast X-ray Transients (FXTs):
- Short-lived X-ray bursts.
- Origin: jets trapped inside supernova (vs. GRB jets breaking out).
- Lower energy, fleeting → different from ENTs.
Discovery & Research
- First identified by University of Hawaii’s IfA (Jason Hinkle).
- Data sources: Gaia spacecraft, Zwicky Transient Facility.
- 2016–2018 candidates, confirmed with 2023 ZTF event.
Significance
- ENTs → most energetic transients ever observed.
- Tool to study:
- Massive BHs in early universe.
- Non-accreting BH populations.
- Future scope: Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Nancy Grace Roman Telescope (2027), AI-
Test Your Knowledge 02
Q2. With reference to Extreme Nuclear Transients (ENTs), consider the following statements:
- They are produced when white dwarfs are swallowed by stellar-mass black holes.
- They are more energetic than gamma-ray bursts.
- They remain luminous in radio wavelengths for years, enabling long-term observation.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: ENTs need massive stars (>3 solar masses), not white dwarfs.
News in Short
Kurmi ST agitation issue
Why in News?
Kurmis in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha revived agitation (Sept 20, 2025) demanding ST status & Kurmali language in 8th Schedule.
Background
- Listed as ST in 1931 Census → excluded in 1950 ST list (no notification).
- Classified as OBC post-1950.
- 2004: Jharkhand govt recommended ST inclusion.
- 2022–23: Multiple rail/road blockades, protests.
- 2024: WB CM met Kurmi reps, promised review.
Community Profile
- Agrarian/peasant community.
- Population: ~50 lakh in WB; presence in Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar.
- Concentrated: Junglemahal, Chota Nagpur plateau.
- Claim: aboriginal status, British-era docs list as tribe, ST-like rituals.
- Occupation: ~80% farming, ~20% jobs/business.
Current Agitation
- Led by Adivasi Kurmi Samaj (AKS).
- Indefinite blockade in WB (Jhargram, Bankura, Paschim Medinipur, Purulia).
- Support from AJSU (BJP ally) in Jharkhand; Sudesh Mahto joined protest.
- Calcutta HC (Sept 18, 2025): agitation illegal, unconstitutional.
Political Impact
- WB: Bipolar contest TMC vs BJP (2021 polls).
- 40 seats in Kurmi belt: TMC 24, BJP 16.
- BJP margins low (avg 6k); TMC larger margins (avg 17k).
- Kurmi voting can swing ~30 seats.
- ST opposition: Existing STs resist Kurmi inclusion.
- Jharkhand: Strong Kurmi presence (Palamu, N. & S. Chotanagpur, Kolhan).
- Bihar: Smaller presence (Purnia, Katihar, Araria), kinship with OBC Kurmis.
US withdraws sanctions waiver to Chabahar port
Why in News?
US revoked sanctions waiver (2018) for India-developed Chabahar port (Iran), effective Sept 29, 2025.
Chabahar Port – Basics
- Location: Gulf of Oman, Iran’s first deepwater port.
- Components: Shahid Beheshti (India’s focus), Shahid Kalantari.
- Linked Corridors: INSTC (India–Iran–Russia–Europe), access to Afghanistan/Central Asia bypassing Pakistan.
- Rival: Pakistan’s Gwadar (China’s BRI).
India’s Role
- 2002–03: Strategic cooperation roadmap (Khatami–Vajpayee).
- 2016: India–Iran–Afghanistan trilateral agreement.
- 2017: 1st phase of Shahid Beheshti inaugurated; India sent wheat to Afghanistan.
- 2018: IPGL took partial operations.
- Planned capacity: 82 MTPA, 32 jetties (4 phases).
Strategic Importance
- For India
- Alternative to Pakistan land route.
- Gateway to Afghanistan, Central Asia, Russia, Europe.
- Balancing China’s Gwadar port.
- For Iran:
- Global trade access despite sanctions.
- Leverage against isolation.
- For Region: Key node in INSTC, Eurasian connectivity.
Delays & Challenges
- India’s slow project execution in neighbourhood.
- Geopolitical friction: US “axis of evil”, sanctions on Iran.
- JCPOA (2015) relief → Trump withdrawal (2018) reimposed sanctions.
- Difficulties in procurement under sanctions regime.
- Taliban return (2021) disrupted Afghan connectivity; India re-engaged (2022).
US Withdrawal of Waiver – Reasons
- Part of “maximum pressure” policy against Iran.
- Linked to recent US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities (June 2025).
- Revocation under Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA).
Implications for India
- Restricted access to Afghanistan, Central Asia.
- Major setback to INSTC and Eurasian outreach.
- Weakens counter to China’s Gwadar/BRI.
- Strains India–Iran strategic cooperation.
- Need for alternative connectivity:
- Bandar Abbas port (Iran),
- Russia via Caspian,
- Chahbahar–Zahedan rail project stalled.
Palestinian state recognised by U.K., Australia and Canada
Why in News?
UK, Australia, and Canada officially recognised the State of Palestine, marking a major policy shift in the West
Significance
- First G7 members to recognise Palestine (UK, Canada)
- Adds to 140+ UN members already recognising
- Boosts Palestinian bid for UN membership, legitimacy
- Seen as revival of two-state solution vision
Motivations
- UK PM Keir Starmer: peace, ceasefire, no West Bank annexation
- Canada PM Mark Carney: partnership for peaceful future
- Australia: alignment with international consensus
- Historical responsibility: UK role via 1917 Balfour Declaration
- Pressure from Gaza war (since Oct 2023 Hamas attack)
Reactions
- Palestinians: watershed, “not symbolic”, supports statehood, ends occupation narrative
- Israel: Netanyahu opposed, called reward for terrorism, vows UN resistance
- US: still opposed, maintains negotiations path
- Other countries: Portugal to follow, France may join at UNGA
Implications
- Deepens West divide: G7 split vs. US stance
- Strengthens Palestinian Authority diplomatically
- Adds pressure for Gaza ceasefire, hostages release, humanitarian aid
- Possible EU momentum towards broader recognition
- Risk of Israeli pushback: settlement expansion, sanctions, UN lobbying
Mohanlal dedicates Phalke award to Indian film industry
Why in News?
Mohanlal dedicates Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2023) to Indian film industry.
Significance
- Recognition of Malayalam cinema’s contribution to Indian film.
- Symbol of endurance, versatility, adaptability in changing industry.
- Inspires future filmmakers, actors through humility & dedication.
About Dadasaheb Phalke Award
- Highest recognition in Indian cinema.
- Instituted: 1969, by Govt. of India.
- Named after Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (Father of Indian Cinema).
- Presented annually at National Film Awards.
- Lifetime achievement in Indian cinema.
- Open to all film industry contributors (actors, directors, technicians, producers).
- Components: Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus), shawl, cash prize ₹10 lakh.
- Past recipients: Devika Rani (first, 1969), Raj Kapoor, Satyajit Ray, Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Waheeda Rehman (2022).