Key Highlights
- India's Election Commission overhauls Electronic Voting Machines, introducing larger candidate photos and a fixed font to improve voter readability.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday is marked by a 15‑day “Seva Parv 2025” through the NaMo App, featuring interactive civic and environmental activities.
- The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy launches a National Geothermal Energy Policy, targeting 10 GW of renewable capacity across Himalayan, Cambay, and Godavari basins.
- The Reserve Bank creates a Regulatory Review Cell to audit banking regulations every 5–7 years, backed by an independent Advisory Group.
- Technology companies open up access: Sentient AI unveils an AGI network for two million users, while SEBI introduces SWAGAT‑FI to streamline long‑term foreign investment.
Detailed Insights
In anticipation of Bihar's forthcoming polls, the Election Commission’s new ballot design mandates that a photograph of each candidate occupies at least 75 % of the 2 × 2 cm field, ensuring clear facial recognition. Candidates and the ‘NOTA’ option share one typeface, 14 point size, and are color‑coded to stand out in the white background. The limit of fifteen nominees per ballot sheet is intended to keep information digestible for hurried voters. This is one of 28 reforms bundled under the Commission’s 2025 “Efficient Elections” umbrella.
Parallel to electoral reforms, the Government’s green energy agenda receives a boost with the Geothermal Energy Policy. By consolidating stakeholders under a single roadmap and earmarking development corridors, the policy seeks to tap an untapped 10 GW of geothermal potential, particularly in the Himalayan and Godavari terrains. It explicitly promotes international collaboration and sets standards that align with India’s Net‑Zero commitments.
Financial sector changes are also underway. The RBI’s Regulatory Review Cell (RRC) will conduct systematic reviews for compliance and risk after an initial 3‑year charter, while the SEBI‑issued SWAGAT‑FI offers a ten‑year registration validity and a digital portal that shortens onboarding to a week, aiming to make foreign investment more competitive.
Key Concepts
- Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) – A device used in Indian elections that records a voter's choice electronically.
- NOTA (None Of The Above) – An option for voters who wish to reject all candidates.
- Geothermal Energy – Heat extracted from the Earth's interior, used to generate electricity.
- SWAGAT‑FI – SEBI’s “Smart Watchdog for Asset Growth – Foreign Investments,” simplifying long‑term foreign capital inflows.
- Regulatory Review Cell (RRC) – An RBI‑established body that periodically reassesses banking regulations for relevance and effectiveness.