Table of Contents
The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will delve into today’s editorial points along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
Gyanesh Kumar Appointed as CEC Following Panel Meeting
- Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) following a meeting of a three-member committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
- Gyanesh Kumar will assume office on Wednesday, coinciding with the Supreme Court’s hearing on a challenge to the new law governing the selection process.
- The Law Ministry announced the appointment late on Monday, alongside the appointment of Haryana Chief Secretary Vivek Joshi as an Election Commissioner.
- The Congress urged the government to postpone the selection panel meeting until Wednesday, citing the ongoing court case.
- Gyanesh Kumar, a 1988-batch IAS officer from the Kerala cadre, retired as Union Cooperation Secretary on January 31, 2024, and became an Election Commissioner on March 14, 2024.
- The selection panel included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi.
- Rahul Gandhi left the meeting after submitting his objections in writing and did not participate in the name discussions.
- The Congress criticized the new selection law, calling it “partisan” and “non-neutral” and demanded an early court hearing on the matter.
- Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the committee’s formation violated the Supreme Court’s March 2, 2023, judgment, which required the inclusion of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) in the selection panel.
- Singhvi clarified that Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting but refused to disclose details, citing confidentiality.
- Congress treasurer Ajay Maken reiterated that the party had presented its objections but respected the secrecy of the meeting’s proceedings.
- Gyanesh Kumar’s appointment is the first under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service, and Term of Office) Act, 2023.
- Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu were previously appointed Election Commissioners under this new law.
- Previously, the President appointed the CEC and Election Commissioners based on government recommendations.
- The 2023 law replaced the Chief Justice of India with a Union Minister on the selection panel, giving the government greater influence over appointments.
- Outgoing CEC Rajiv Kumar, in his farewell address, advocated for enabling NRIs to vote remotely and called for a consensus on remote voting for migrant voters.
- Rajiv Kumar also recommended implementing biometric authentication at polling booths to prevent voter impersonation.
Delhi Shaken by Second Strongest Earthquake in 30 Years
- A 4-magnitude earthquake struck Delhi early Monday, marking the strongest tremor since the 4.6-magnitude quake in November 2007.
- Despite being of moderate intensity, the shallow quake, originating just 5 kilometers below the surface, startled residents across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram.
- The 2007 quake, though stronger at 4.6 magnitude, occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers, which reduced its impact on the surface.
- According to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS), 446 earthquakes with magnitudes between 1.1 and 4.6 have been recorded in the Delhi region from 1993 to 2025.
- Monday’s earthquake originated at Jheel Park in Delhi, approximately six kilometers southeast of the 2007 epicenter.
- The NCS report attributes the earthquake to normal faulting caused by hydrofracturing, resulting from the erosion of underground rocks by aquifers and ancient water channels.
- P. Mishra, Director of NCS, stated that the seismic activity aligns with established patterns for Delhi and suggested it is unlikely the region would experience a quake exceeding 6 magnitude.
- Although the region has fault lines such as the Mahendranagar and Sohana faults, they are not large enough to produce quakes stronger than magnitude 6.
- Mishra emphasized that the absence of major damage or casualties from the shallow quake highlights the importance of adhering to modern building codes and retrofitting older structures to withstand seismic events.
Odisha University Expels 500 Nepali Students Following Campus Protests
- Over 500 Nepali students were forced to leave Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar on February 17, 2025, following tensions after the death of a Nepali girl student.
- The students were dropped off at Cuttack railway station, 30 km from the campus, with many, including girls, stranded without train tickets.
- KIIT issued a notice declaring an indefinite closure for all Nepali students, instructing them to vacate the campus immediately.
- The Nepal government strongly condemned the action, with Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli announcing that two embassy officers were sent to counsel affected students.
- The Nepal Embassy arranged for students to either stay in their hostels or return home, based on their preferences.
- Following backlash, KIIT withdrew the suspension and clarified that Nepali students were only advised to return home voluntarily until the inquiry was completed.
- The university assured that students’ academic activities would not be disrupted and that regular classes would resume soon.
- The incident stemmed from the suicide of Prakriti Lamsal, a third-year B.Tech. student, reportedly due to a strained relationship with a male student.
- Protests erupted as students, especially from Nepal, demanded the arrest of the male student linked to the incident.
- Bhubaneswar police confirmed that they seized the deceased’s mobile phone and laptop and preserved her body for investigation.
- A male student, believed to be involved with the deceased, was taken into custody for questioning, according to KIIT’s Director of Public Relations, Shradhanjali Nayak.
- Students accused university authorities of making racist remarks during the protests, alleging one official compared university spending on students to Nepal’s national budget.
- The remarks, reportedly captured on video, added to the outrage, especially as students were preparing for exams scheduled for the last week of February.
Important questions
- What objections did Rahul Gandhi submit during the selection panel meeting for Gyanesh Kumar’s appointment?
- How did the 2023 law change the composition of the selection panel for the CEC?
- What did the NCS report identify as the cause of Monday’s earthquake in Delhi?
- What led to the protests by Nepali students at KIIT University?
- How did KIIT respond to the backlash from the Nepal government?
Important vocabulary
- Partisan: Showing strong support for one side, often unfairly.
- Cadre: A small group of trained professionals in an organization.
- Objections: Expressions of disapproval or opposition.
- Impersonation: Pretending to be someone else.
- Seismic: Related to earthquakes.
- Epicenter: The point on the Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake.
- Faulting: Cracking of the Earth’s crust due to movement.
- Retrofitting: Strengthening buildings to withstand earthquakes.
- Expels: Forces someone to leave.
- Backlash: Strong negative reaction.
- Outrage: Intense anger or shock.
- Custody: Being held by authorities for questioning.
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