New birth registration rules require parents to record both their religions.
More detail about news
Earlier, only the family’s religion was recorded in birth registers.
The proposed “Form No.1-Birth Report” will expand the column requiring a tick mark selection “for religion” of the child to now also state the “religion of father” and “religion of mother”.
Similar changes have been made for parents of an adopted child.
According to the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023, passed by the Parliament on August 11 last year, the birth and death database will be maintained at the national level and may be used to update the National Population Register (NPR), electoral rolls, Aadhaar number, ration card, passport, driving licence, property registration, and such other databases as may be notified.
Digital records
According to the law, which became effective October 1 last year, all reported births and deaths in the country are to be digitally registered through the Centre’s portal for the Civil Registration System (crsorgi.gov.in).
The digital birth certificates issued under this system will become a single document to prove the date of birth for various services, including admission to educational institutions.
The office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) under the MHA has proposed substituting the existing forms related to the registration of births, deaths, still births, adoptions, and the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) as per the draft rules.
The MCCD will also include the “history of illness, if any” from now on, apart from the actual cause of death.
Statistical and legal info
Any birth register includes two parts: legal information and statistical information.
The information on the parents’ religion is to be maintained for statistical information.
The birth register form pertaining to legal information has been expanded to record the Aadhaar number, and the mobile and e-mail IDs of both the parents, “if available”.
The address box has been made more descriptive to contain the name of the State, district, sub-district, town or village, ward number (in case of town and if available), locality, house number, and PIN code.
The “informant” providing the information will also have to provide their Aadhaar and mobile numbers, and email address, along with the name and address details which were earlier required.
National database
According to the 2023 amendment, the RGI shall maintain the database of registered births and deaths at the national level and it is obligatory upon the Chief Registrars and the Registrars to share the data of registered births and deaths to such a database.
According to the parent Act — the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 — the RGI has been empowered to take steps to coordinate and unify the activities of Chief Registrars, who are appointed by State governments. Civil Registration System (CRS) functionaries are appointed up to the panchayat level.
The CRS data is also used to compile the annual ‘Vital Statistics of India Based On The Civil Registration System’ report, which makes public the data regarding sex-ratio at birth, infant mortality, still-births and deaths, at the national level. Such data is used by the government for socio-economic planning and to evaluate the effectiveness of various social sector programmes; it also serves as the cornerstone of the public health system.
Agni-Prime missile
Time to Read :🕑 5 Mins
Why in news?
India successfully test-fired its new Agni-Prime missile.
About news
Agni-Prime is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant ballistic missile with dual redundant navigation and guidance system, according to DRDO.
It has a range of 1,000-2,000km and was tested for the first time in June 2021.
It is lighter than all the earlier Agni series of missiles.
In June 2023, the first pre-induction night launch was conducted by the users after three successful developmental trials of the missile, validating the accuracy and reliability of the system.
Agni series of missiles constitute the backbone of India’s nuclear weapons delivery which also includes the Prithvi short range ballistic missiles and fighter aircraft.
India has completed its nuclear triad and operationalised its second strike capability with nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arihant undertaking deterrence patrols.
Symbols allotted to political parties
Time to Read :🕑 11 Mins
Why in news?
Recently, there has been raised questions about the allotment of symbols to ‘registered unrecognised parties’.
More detail about news
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for the allotment of symbols.
This is done under The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, which is meant “to provide for specification, reservation, choice and allotment of symbols at elections in Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies, for the recognition of political parties…”
Latest issue
The Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) that secured 3.9% and 6.5% votes in Tamil Nadu in 2019 and 2021 respectively, has been allotted a new common symbol (Mike).
The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) that secured 1.09% and 0.99% votes in 2019 and 2021 has been denied a common symbol (Pot).
Rules
A party is recognised as a ‘national’ or ‘state’ party under the provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 (Symbols Order) by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The criteria for recognition at the State level consists of
(a) winning one Lok Sabha seat for every 25 seats or 3% of Legislative Assembly seats or
(b) winning one Lok Sabha or two Assembly seats along with 6% of votes polled or
(c) securing 8% of votes polled in a general election.
Symbols are allotted to political parties and contesting candidates as per the provisions of the Symbols Order by ECI.
In the largest democracy where a sizeable population is still illiterate, symbols play a crucial role in the voting process.
A recognised political party has a reserved symbol that is not allotted to any other candidate in any constituency.
For registered but unrecognised political parties, one of the free symbols is allotted as a common symbol during an election if that party contests in two Lok Sabha constituencies or in 5% of seats to the Assembly of a State as the case may be.
What is the current issue?
Rule 10B of the Symbols Order provides that the concession of a common free symbol shall be available to a ‘registered unrecognised party’ for two general elections.
Furthermore, a party shall be eligible for a common symbol in any subsequent general election if it had secured at least 1% of votes polled in the State on the previous occasion when the party availed of this facility.
Such an unrecognised party should however apply for a symbol every time in the prescribed format.
This application can be made any time during the period commencing six months prior to the expiry of the term of the Lok Sabha or State Assembly as the case may be.
The symbols are thereafter allotted on a ‘first-come-first-served’ basis.
In the above cases, the NTK had secured more than 1% of votes in the last two elections with the common symbol of ‘Ganna Kisan’. However, since they applied for that symbol only in February 2024, the ECI had allotted that symbol to Bharatiya Praja Aikyata Party (BPAP), that had applied earlier, based on the ‘first-come-first-served’ rule. However, the BPAP has not contested elections in Tamil Nadu before.
The VCK was declined allotment of a common symbol as it had failed to secure 1% of votes polled in the elections to the State Legislative Assembly in 2021. The VCK notably has one Lok Sabha MP and four MLAs in Tamil Nadu contesting on the ‘Pot’ symbol in 2019 and 2021 elections.
Why forward
The ECI has decided on the applications of NTK and VCK as per existing rules. However, it is counter intuitive from a layman’s perspective that the NTK which secured more than 6% of votes polled is not allotted the previous common symbol of its choice.
It would be equally baffling for an average voter that the VCK which has elected representatives is ineligible to obtain a common symbol. The two VCK candidates were eventually allotted the free symbol of ‘Pot’ by the respective returning officers.
The existing threshold for recognition of a party may continue. The candidates set up by recognised parties enjoy the advantage of being listed at the top of the ballot in the Electronic Voting Machine. Nevertheless, the ECI may consider amending the rules that registered unrecognised parties that secure at least 1% of votes polled in a previous election or have an elected representative in the Lok Sabha or State Assembly, shall have the right to be allotted a common symbol of their choice. This would ensure a fair weightage being given for their past electoral performance and strengthen the democratic process.
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