• ECI decision on party name and party symbol for Shiv Sena in Maharashtra has become an issue.
• Article 324 read with Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers ECI to recognise political parties and allot symbols.
  • Under the Order, ECI can decide disputes among rival groups or sections of a recognised political party staking claim to its name and symbol.
• In Sadiq Ali Case (1971), Supreme Court upheld ECI’s authority to decide issues on a dispute or a merger and prescribed 3 tests to arrive at a decision:
  • Test of Aims and Objectives of the Party Constitution.
  • Test of party constitution
  • Test of Majority
• In line with Sec 29A of Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Election Symbols Order, 1968, ECI recognizes a Political Party and allocates symbol to it.
  • Recognised National Parties: These parties are allocated with a symbol, which can be used across the country in all elections. No other parties can use them.
  • Recognised State Parties: These parties are allocated with an exclusive symbol within the state.
  • Independent Candidates: They can choose 3 Symbols in order of their preference (other than national and state party’s symbol).

• ICAR-National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal (NBAGR) registered ten new breeds of

species:

• Kathani cattle (Maharashtra), Sanchori cattle (Rajasthan) and Masilum cattle (Meghalaya);
  • Masilum cattle are reared by Khasi and Jaintia communities.
• Purnathadi buffalo (Maharashtra)
• Sojat goat (Rajasthan), Karauli goat (Rajasthan) and Gujari goat (Rajasthan);
• Banda pig (Jharkhand), Manipuri Black pig (Manipur).
  • Manipuri Black pig is preferred for its taste.
• Wak Chambil pig (Meghalaya)
  • Wak Chambil’s pork is known for its unique flavour and taste.
• After including these breeds, total number of registered indigenous breeds is 212.

• An IAF plane carried seven male and five female cheetahs continuing the Indian government’s ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme.
• Cheetahs were made available by Phinda Game Reserve, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Waterberg Biosphere, Kwandwe Game Reserve and Mapesu Game Reserve and will join Cheetahs relocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh from Namibia.
• Plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for next 8 to 10 years.
• Translocation is being made under ‘Project Cheetah’
  • It is world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.
  • Nodal Agency– National Tiger Conservation Authority.

About Cheetah

• Cheetah, world’s fastest mammal, is a keystone species (organism that helps define an entire ecosystem) of dry forests, scrub forests, and savannahs.
• Protected under Appendix 1 of CITES.
• IUCN status: African Cheetah (Vulnerable); Asiatic Cheetah (Critically endangered).
• The country’s last cheetah died in Koriya district of present-day Chhattisgarh in 1947 and the species was declared extinct in 1952.

• Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) proposed introduction of securities lending and borrowing in government securities (G-secs).
• Aim-to facilitate wider participation in the securities lending market.

Highlights

• Government Securities Lending (GSL) transactions shall be undertaken for a minimum period of one day and a maximum period of ninety days.
• Government securities issued by the central government excluding Treasury Bills would be eligible for lending/borrowing under a GSL transaction.
• Government securities issued by the central government (including Treasury Bills) and the state governments would be eligible for placing as collateral under a GSL transaction.
• An entity eligible to undertake repo transactions in government securities, and any other entity approved by the Reserve Bank of India would be eligible to participate in GSL transactions as lender of securities.

About Government securities (G-secs)

• G-Sec is a tradeable instrument issued by Central or state Governments. It acknowledges government’s debt obligation.
• Securities can be either
  • short term -usually called T-Bills, with maturities of less than one year or
  • long term usually called Government bonds or dated securities with maturity of one year or more.
• Central Government issues both, T-bills and bonds or dated securities while State Governments issue only bonds or dated securities, called State Development Loans (SDL).
• G-Secs carry practically no risk of default and, hence, are called risk-free gilt-edged instruments.

• Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Anurag Thakur launched DD Himachal channel here today. The channel will broadcast programmes round the clock.
• DD Himachal had started operations in 1995 with a 30-minute programme, which was gradually increased to four hours a day.
• the channel would help the state show its art and culture, heritage and other attractions to the rest of the country and the world.
• The channel will be available on DTH platform. People would be able to see this channel in any part of the country.
• The 24×7 channel would help boost tourism in the state by showcasing various places of tourist interest available in the state.

• The three-day district-level Shivratri fair opened at historic Lord Shiva Temple, Kathgarh in Indora sub division of Kangra district recently.
• Thousands of devotees from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu throng the temple to pay their obeisance.
• Kathgarh Mahadev Temple is located in Kangra district.
  • Situated on the border of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, this is the only Shiv temple in the world, where the Shivling is divided into two parts.
  • It is believed that these two forms of Shiva automatically separate and then merge.
  • One is worshiped as Lord Shiva and the other part is worshiped as Devi Parvati.
  • The distance between two parts of Shivling automatically increases according to the planetary constellations. In summer this form splits into two parts and in winter it assumes one form.
  • This old temple, built in Mughal style, comprises 6 feet tall and 5 feet round ‘Shivalinga’.

• Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar has been named as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff, while incumbent Lt Gen B S Raju will take charge as South Western Army Commander.
• Lt Gen Kumar has been promoted as Army Commander and appointed as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff.
  • He is serving as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) in the Army Headquarters at present.
• Lt Gen Kumar is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla.
• He was commissioned into 1 Assam Regiment in June 1985.
• He has commanded the 59 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion, an Infantry Brigade, and an Infantry Division on the Line of Control. Lt Gen Kumar has also commanded the highly active White Knight Corps.

• Tulsidas Balaram, one of the country’s finest footballers and a member of the golden era of Indian football (1951-1962), passed away. He was 86.
• He played in two Olympics in 1956 and 1960 and reached the pinnacle of Asian football when India, under the guidance of legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim, won the Asian Games gold in Jakarta, beating South Korea 2-1 in 1962.
• Balaram scored 131 goals, including 14 for India, across seven seasons.

• World Pangolin Day is observed annually on the third Saturday in February, and this year it falls on February 18.
• It is a day to remember and celebrate pangolins, raise awareness, and fight against global pangolin capture in Africa and Asia. Pangolin Day marks the 12th edition of the event.
• An estimated one million of these magnificent creatures have been and continue to be harvested from the wild in African and Asian nations to meet the enormous demand for their scale, skin, blood, and even foetuses, which are believed to have multiple purposes in fashion, traditional medicine, and cookery.
• A pangolin is a mammal of the order Pholidota, the only member of the family Manidae.
  • Pangolins are the only mammal to be covered in scales made of keratin, which protect them from predators.
• They are found in tropical regions of Africa and Asia.
• Pangolins are nocturnal animals that spend most of their time in trees, eating ants and termites.
• They have long tongues that they use to lick up their prey. They are also proficient swimmers.

• The 4th edition of the joint military exercise, Exercise Dharma Guardian, between India and Japan is being conducted in Japan from 17th February to 2nd March 2023.
• The exercise is an annual training event with Japan and is crucial and significant in terms of security challenges faced by both nations in the backdrop of the current global situation.
• The exercise will further enhance the level of defence co-operation between The Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces, furthering the bilateral relations between the two nations.
• Other Military Exercises between India and Japan are
  • JIMEX (naval),
  • SHINYUU Maitri (Air Force) and
  • Exercise Veer Guardian.