On July 15th, 2025, India & the world witnessed important developments across various sectors. Today's news headlines cover the ongoing debate surrounding the definition of "Ordinarily Resident" under the RPA, 1950, crucial for electoral inclusion, alongside the recent nominations to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu. Additionally, we cover the significant seizure related to the trafficking of endangered Gharial and red-crowned roofed turtles, underscoring critical wildlife conservation efforts. 

Awareness regarding daily UPSC current affairs is crucial for cracking the UPSC Prelims, excelling in UPSC Mains. It helps perform well in the UPSC personality test, thus becoming an informed and effective UPSC civil servant.

Below are the current affairs and headlines of the day taken from The Hindu, Indian Express, Press Information Bureau & All India Radio as required for UPSC preparation:

📜 “Ordinarily Resident” under the RPA, 1950

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS Paper II (Indian Polity) 

📰 IN NEWS

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) has launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. 

• This triggered debate over the definition and interpretation of ‘ordinarily resident’, especially in the context of migrant workers, and its implications for electoral inclusion.

👤 Who is an ‘Ordinarily Resident’? 

Section 19 of RPA, 1950: A person must be an Indian citizen and an ordinarily resident in a constituency to be included in its electoral roll. 

Section 20 of RPA, 1950: Clarifies that:

• Mere ownership or possession of a house doesn’t make one ordinarily resident.
• A person temporarily absent from their residence (e.g. travel, work) is still considered ordinarily resident. Special provisions for:
• Armed forces personnel
• Central government employees posted outside India
• Armed police posted outside home state
• Persons holding constitutional offices These individuals (and their spouses) are deemed ordinarily resident in the constituency they would reside in but for such posting.

Section 20A (added in 2010)

Recognizes Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) as eligible to vote in the constituency where their passport address is located.

📝 Registration of Electors Rules (RER), 1960

Enacted to operationalise RPA, 1950. Governs:

• Preparation of electoral rolls
• Inclusion/exclusion of voters
• Correction of entries
• Transfer of voter registration Framed by the Central Government in consultation with the ECI.

🇮🇳 Are NRIs allowed to Vote? 

Yes, under Section 20A of RPA, 1950, NRIs can vote in their constituency of passport address. NRIs must be physically present to vote — no proxy or postal ballot allowed (as of now).

🏛️ Nomination to Rajya Sabha

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS Paper II (Indian Polity)

📰 IN NEWS

President Droupadi Murmu nominated four eminent individuals to the Rajya Sabha:

• Harsh Vardhan Shringla (Former Foreign Secretary)

• Ujjwal Nikam (Special Public Prosecutor in 26/11 case)

• C. Sadanandan

• Dr. Meenakshi Jain (Historian and academic) These nominations were made under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution, filling vacancies due to retirement of previously nominated members.

🗳️ Nomination to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Assemblies & Councils

⬆️ Rajya Sabha (Council of States)

• Authority: President of India
• Provision: Article 80(1)(a) and 80(3) of the Constitution
• Details:
  • The President may nominate 12 members having special knowledge or practical experience in:
    • Literature
    • Science
    • Art
    • Social Service
  • Nominated members enjoy all rights similar to elected members (except voting in Presidential election).

⬇️ Lok Sabha (House of the People)

• Authority: President of India
• Provision: Article 331 of the Constitution
• Details:
  • The President may nominate two members of the Anglo-Indian community (abolished via 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019) if they are not adequately represented.
  • This provision is now obsolete post-January 25, 2020.

🏘️ State Legislative Assemblies

• Authority: Governor of the State
• Provision: Article 333
• Details:
  • The Governor can nominate one Anglo-Indian member to the Legislative Assembly if the community is not adequately represented.
  • This was also abolished by the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019.

📚 State Legislative Councils (where applicable)

• Authority: Governor of the State
• Provision: Article 171(5)
• Details:
  • The Governor nominates 1/6th of the total members from those having special knowledge in:
    • Literature
    • Science
    • Art
    • Co-operative movement
    • Social service

📜 Constitutional Provisions

🐊 Trafficking of Gharial

Source: The Indian Express

Syllabus: GS Paper III (Biodiversity)

📰 IN NEWS

• Madhya Pradesh Forest Department arrested three members of an international wildlife trafficking syndicate and seized 30 gharial hatchlings and 14 red-crowned roofed turtles, both critically endangered species. 

• This is India’s first major seizure of a gharial consignment, destined for Bangladesh via Kolkata. 

• The seizure occurred near National Chambal Sanctuary, which is the primary natural habitat of both species.

🦎 Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus)

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I 

Habitat

• Primarily inhabits clean, flowing rivers with deep pools, such as Chambal, Ganges, and Son rivers. 

Key Features

• Long, narrow snout with over 100 sharp interlocking teeth
• Adult males have a distinctive bulbous nasal growth ("ghara")
• Fish-eating specialist 

Population

• Fewer than 900 breeding adults remain globally, most in India and Nepal

🐢 Red-Crowned Roofed Turtle (Batagur kachuga)

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I 

Habitat

• Freshwater rivers with sandy banks for nesting, especially the Chambal River 

Key Features

• Males develop a bright red stripe on the head during the breeding season
• Omnivorous: feeds on aquatic plants and small animals 

Global Range

• Now restricted mainly to India, with breeding only reported in Chambal.

🌿 Importance of these Species

Ecological Role

• Both species are keystone species that help maintain riverine ecological balance.
• Gharials regulate fish populations, while turtles aid in nutrient cycling. 

Conservation Significance

• Their survival indicates the health of river ecosystems.
• Their habitats overlap with other endangered fauna like Gangetic dolphins and mugger crocodiles.