Requirements for a parliamentary candidate
Syllabus: GS2/Polity and Governance
Context
- Recently domicile as a requirement for a parliamentary candidate was in news, as Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani became an elector from her Lok Sabha constituency.
Constitutional Provision
- As per Article 84 of the Constitution, both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha candidates must be citizens of India.
- While for the Lok Sabha, they need to be at least 25 years of age, the minimum age limit for the Upper House is 30.
- The Article also says that the candidates should possess “such other qualifications as may be prescribed in that behalf by or under any law made by Parliament”.
- Article 84 also says that on being elected, the MPs must take an oath or affirmation as per the Third Schedule, which prescribes the format of the oath.
Other Provisions
- The Representation of the People Act, 1951, lays down that candidates for the Lok Sabha should be enrolled as electors, from any constituency.
- The nomination papers that candidates fill out require them to attach the extract of the electoral roll where they are enrolled.
- However Domicile is not a criterion for parliamentary candidates, who are allowed to contest from multiple seats.
Source: IE
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
Syllabus: GS3/Environment
Context
- The SBTi recent declaration of allowing companies to utilize carbon offsets to fulfill their climate commitments has gathered widespread criticism
About
- The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a corporate climate action organization that enables companies and financial institutions worldwide to play their part in combating the climate crisis.
- SBTi perform various function such as;
- Defines and promotes best practice in emissions reductions and net-zero targets in line with climate science.
- Develops standards, tools and guidance to enable companies and financial institutions to set science-based targets in line with the latest climate science.
- Through its validation services arm, it assesses and validates companies and financial institutions targets.
What is a carbon offset?
- A carbon offset refers to a way by which organizations or individuals can cut down on their carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere.
- These reductions are achieved through projects that either capture and store carbon or prevent emissions from occurring in the first place, such as through renewable energy projects, reforestation initiatives, and methane capture from landfills.
- Companies or individuals purchase carbon offsets to compensate for their own carbon emissions, thereby “offsetting” their environmental impact and contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.
Source: TOI
Sensex
Syllabus: GS3/Economy
Context
- The Indian stock market extended losses for the third straight session.
- Escalating tension in the Middle East due to the Israel-Iran conflict is one of the reasons for the stock market fall as the situation has resulted in geopolitical uncertainty in the region.
About
- Sensex is the benchmark index of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India.
- It was launched on January 1, 1986 as a basket of 30 stocks representing the country’s largest, financially-sound companies listed on the BSE.
- The term ‘Sensex’ is a blend of words ‘Sensitive’ and ‘Index’ and was coined by stock market expert Deepak Mohoni.
- If the Sensex value increases it means that there is a general increase in the prices of shares. On the other hand, if the value of Sensex declines, it means that there is a general decrease in share prices.
- Since sensex comprises companies from all key sectors of the economy, it truly reflects the sentiment of the stock market in India.
Source: IE
Corals
Syllabus: GS3/Environment
Context
- South Florida researchers are using biodegradable drinking straws to prevent laboratory-grown coral from becoming fish food.
About
- The small biodegradable cage that’s made in part with drinking straws boosts the survival rate of transplanted coral to over 90%.
- The coral cage consists of a limestone disc surrounded by eight vertical phade brand drinking straws.
What are Corals?
- Corals are invertebrates that belong to a large group of animals called Cnidaria.
- Corals are formed by multiple small, soft organisms known as polyps.
- They secrete a rocky chalk-like (calcium carbonate) exoskeleton around themselves for protection.
- Coral reefs are therefore created by millions of tiny polyps forming large carbonate structures.
- Appearance: Corals range in colour from red to purple and even blue, but are most commonly shades of brown and green.
- They get most of their colours from the millions of microscopic algae that grow inside each polyp’s tissues.
- There are three types of coral reefs – fringing reefs, barrier reefs and atolls.
- Fringing reefs form along shorelines, barrier reefs form in open water and atolls are circular reefs that have formed around sunken volcanos.
- Significance: They provide food, shelter, resting and breeding grounds to a quarter of all marine life, acting as nurseries and refuges to protect critical biodiversity.
- They also support more than 1 billion people living in coastal regions around the world by providing food, livelihoods and recreation.
Source: TH
Shrinkflation
Syllabus: GS3/ Economy
In News
- As input prices turn inflationary, the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) segment can experience shrinkflation.
About
- Shrinkflation is the practice by companies of reducing the size or quantity of a product while keeping the same price. For example: reducing the scoops of ice cream in a container or reducing the number of chips in a packet would count as shrinkflation.
- Causes: Rising production costs, Avoid sensitivity of consumers to price increases.
Source: FE
Mount Etna
Syllabus: GS/ Places in News
In News
- Volcanic vortex rings emerged from a new pit crater on the north side of the southeast crater of the Etna Volcano in Sicily, Italy.
About Mount Etna
- It is an active stratovolcano volcano on the east coast of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Etna’s peak is the highest in Italy south of the Alps, and it is Europe’s largest and one of the most active volcanoes of the world.
- Its summit has five craters, which are responsible for most of the volcano’s eruptions.
- It lies above the convergent plate margin between the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
- It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013.
Source: TH
