-The Hindu * Why is the Election Commission keen on voters linking their Aadhaar with voter IDs? The story so far: Reports have surfaced online of instances where block level officers have asked individuals to link their Aadhaar with their Voter IDs, failing which their Voter IDs could be cancelled. This comes in the aftermath of the Election Commission’s (EC) campaign to promote the linkage of Voter ID and Aadhaar that began...

-The Telegraph The Election Laws (Amendment) Act passed last year allows poll authorities to ask people to share their card details, aimed at weeding out duplicate entries of voters A nationwide drive to urge voters to voluntarily give their Aadhaar numbers to polling officials is set to begin on Monday. The Election Laws (Amendment) Act passed last year allows poll authorities to ask people to share their Aadhaar numbers — aimed at weeding...

-ThePrint.in Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government on Thursday approved draft rules under the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act. The rules were approved at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel here, a government spokesperson said. The PESA Act was enacted by Parliament in 1996 to ensure self- governance for people living in Scheduled Areas. The states were required to formulate rules for the effective implementation of the Act to strengthen gram...

-The Hindu Keen to be parallel repository of data, along with States The Centre has proposed amendments to a 1969 law that will enable it to “maintain the database of registered birth and deaths at the national level”. The database may be used to update the Population Register and the electoral register, and Aadhaar, ration card, passport and driving licence databases, says the proposed amendment to the Registration of Births and Deaths Act...

-Hindustan Times The Union environment ministry has relaxed the environmental norms for the expansion of certain iron, manganese, bauxite, and limestone mines The Union environment ministry has relaxed the environmental norms for the expansion of certain iron, manganese, bauxite, and limestone mines. According to an office memorandum (OM) issued on October 20, expansion of up to 20% capacity for mines of these four minerals with a 5-star rating can be allowed only...