Daily Quiz

Solution (d)
Explanation:
• The totaliser as a technique to mask booth-level voting patterns was mooted in 2007 as a solution to the problem of post-election harassment of voters. (Option (a) is correct)
• It was examined and evolved by the authorised EVM manufacturers in consultation with the Technical Experts Committee of the Election Commission of India (ECI), and demonstrated in 2008 before political parties who had “no objection” to the use of totaliser.
• The totaliser allows for the mixing of votes from different EVMs during counting to avoid revealing voting trends at the booth level, thus ensuring voter anonymity and security. (Option (b) is correct)
• The primary aim of the totaliser technique is to protect voter anonymity and prevent post-election harassment by masking booth-level voting patterns. In its 255th Report, the Law Commission of India endorsed the EC’s proposal to introduce totaliser in counting of votes. (Option (c) is correct)
• The introduction of the totaliser technique does not require a constitutional amendment to Article 326 of the Indian Constitution. Article 326 deals with elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States based on adult suffrage.
• Implementing the totaliser technique requires amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, not a constitutional amendment. The Election Commission has affirmed the need for amendments to these rules for its implementation. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-tool-to-ensure-complete-voter-anonymity/article68356097.ece

Solution (a)

Explanation:

• Charles Mark Correa, an eminent Indian architect, was appointed as the chairman of the National Commission on Urbanization in 1986. The commission was tasked with addressing the challenges of urban growth and development in India, providing a framework for sustainable urban planning, and recommending policies to improve the quality of urban life. (Option (a) is correct)
• The NCU’s report, published in 1988, highlighted the need for planned urban development, efficient infrastructure, and better urban governance. It emphasized the importance of sustainable urban planning to address the challenges of rapid urbanization, including housing, transportation, sanitation, and environmental sustainability.
• G D Khosla was the chairman of the Khosla Commission, also known as the Commission of Inquiry on the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The commission was set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding Gandhi’s assassination in 1948. (Option (b) is incorrect)
• M P Thakkar headed the Thakkar Commission, which was set up to investigate the circumstances leading to the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. The commission examined the security lapses and other factors related to the event. (Option (c) is incorrect)
• C. Shah was the chairman of the Shah Commission of Inquiry, which was established to investigate the excesses committed during the Emergency period in India (1975-1977). The commission looked into allegations of misuse of power and human rights violations during that time. (Option (d) is incorrect)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/what-is-on-the-agenda-for-the-16th-finance-commission-explained/article68356820.ece#:~:text=The%2016th%20FC%20must%20consider,supply%20issues%20and%20untreated%20sewage.

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• Project Nexus is an initiative conceptualised by the Innovation Hub of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) to enhance cross-border payments by interlinking domestic Fast Payments Systems (FPSs).
• The project aims to enable instant cross-border retail payments through a multilateral approach, involving countries like India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. (Option (b) is correct)
• This multilateral approach is intended to expand the international reach of Indian payment systems and provide a more efficient and seamless payment experience for cross-border transactions. The project’s live implementation marks a significant step in improving global financial connectivity.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-economics/what-is-project-nexus-that-rbi-has-signed-up-for-9427023/

Solution (b)

Explanation:

• The responsibility of conducting the decadal census lies with the Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs, not the Ministry of Human Resources. The Ministry of Home Affairs oversees the entire process of the census. (Statement 1 is incorrect)
• Before the 1951 Census, the census organization in India was set up on an ad-hoc basis for each decadal census. It was only after 1951 that a permanent Census Commissioner’s office was established to oversee the process continuously. (Statement 2 is correct)
• The population census is a Union subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution, listed under Article 246. This means that only the central government has the authority to legislate and conduct the population census. (Statement 3 is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/govt-yet-to-decide-on-extending-dates-to-freeze-administrative-boundaries/article68356144.ece

Solution (d)

Explanation:

• The top quark is indeed the most massive subatomic particle known, with a mass of approximately 172.52 GeV/c² as per the latest measurements. It is one of the six quarks in the Standard Model of particle physics and is extremely short-lived, decaying into other particles almost immediately. (Statement 1 is correct)
• The Higgs boson interacts with other particles via the Higgs field, imparting mass to them through this interaction. The Higgs boson was discovered in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. (Statement 2 is correct)
• The top quark was discovered in 1995 at the Tevatron particle accelerator in the US, not the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). (Statement 3 is incorrect)
• The mass of the Higgs boson is indeed about 126 GeV/c², which is crucial for understanding the stability of the universe. (Statement 4 is correct)

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/top-quark-mass-update-lhc-higgs-boson-quantum-tunnel-universe/article68353005.ece#:~:text=The%20top%20quark%20is%20part,Raj%20said.