The Hindu Editorial (Rolls and loopholes) – Sep 08, 2025

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The Hindu Editorial (Rolls and loopholes) – Sep 08, 2025:

1. roll (noun) – list.
2. loophole (noun) – ambiguity/inadequacy  as in a law; omission, means of escape, escape route, escape clause, flaw, fault, defect, discrepancy, inconsistency.
3. Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls (noun) – It aims to revise the electoral rolls in the state in order to include all eligible voters (under Article 326 of the Constitution of India) and eliminate all ineligible voters from the voter list (under Section 16 of the Representation of People Act, 1950 (RPA)). The SIR is carried out through its (ECI) powers under Article 324 and Section 21 of the RPA. Article 324 vests the ECI with superintendence, direction and control over elections in India. Section 21 of the RPA empowers the ECI to prepare and revise electoral rolls.
4. proactive (adjective) – energetic, motivated, farsighted, cautious, careful.
5. systemic (adjective) – relating to a whole system.
6. electoral roll (noun) – list of voters; voters list.
7. defy (verb) – violate, break, contravene, go against, flout, ignore, disregard.
8. demographic (adjective) – relating to the statistical study/structure of populations, especially human beings.
9. demographic pattern (noun) – it refers to the statistical study of populations based on various factors such as age, race, gender, income, migration patterns, and other variables.
10. statistical expectation (noun) – expected value; the value that is most likely the result of the next repeated trial of a statistical experiment.
11. claim (verb) – assert, affirm, insist, state, argue, contend.
12. clear-cut (adjective) – definitive, decisive, certain, categorical, conclusive, concrete, definite, unequivocal.
13. as yet (phrase) – up to the present time; until now.
14. fraudulent (adjective) – dishonest, unlawful, unethical, unprincipled.
15. manipulation (noun) – falsification, rigging, misrepresentation, distortion, exploitation, deception, trickery.
16. finding (noun) – information found due to an inquiry or investigation; observation.
17. constituency (noun) – the specific geographical area in which voters elect a representative to a legislative body.
18. set alarm bells ringing (phrase) – to make someone feel distressed/concerned about something.
19. official (noun) – bureaucracy, authorities, officialdom, the people in charge, the government, the administration, the establishment, the regime/system, corridors of power.  
20. unearth (verb) – pull out, dig up, excavate, uncover, unmask, find out.
21. Form-7 application (noun) – Application for Objecting Inclusion of Name of Other Person / Seeking Deletion of Own Name/Seeking Deletion of Any Other Person’s Name in Electoral Roll due to Death/Shifting.
22. miscreant (noun) – law-breaker, wrongdoer, offender.
23. legitimate (adjective) – valid, reasonable, reliable.
24. timely (adjective) – prompt, well timed, at the right time, opportune, appropriate.
25. intervention (noun) – the process of intervening in something; involvement, interference.
26. diligence (noun) – carefulness;  careful effort or work; great effort; attention.
27. rather than (phrase) – instead of.
28. independent (adjective) – impartial, unbiased, neutral, even-handed, disinterested
29. stall (verb) – obstruct, interrupt, impede, hinder, hamper, block, stop.
30. trail (noun) – path/way, pathway, course, route (followed for a particular purpose).
31. fog (noun) – state of confusion.
32. dynamic (adjective) – active, vital, effective.
33. disposable phone number (noun) – temporary phone numbers that can be used for specific purposes and then deactivated.
34. disposable (adjective) – one-use, replaceable.
35. nonetheless (adverb) – nonetheless, nevertheless, however, even so, in spite of that.
36. stance (noun) – position, standpoint, point of view, opinion, approach.
37. fate (noun) – destiny, outcome, karma.
38. discretion (noun) – choice, option, preference, disposition, volition.
39. compromise (verb) – undermine, weaken, damage, endanger.
40. mechanism (noun) – method, system, process, procedure, technique.
41. official (adjective) – formal, proper, bureaucratic.
42. claim (noun) – statement, assertion, affirmation avowal (that something is true); a formal request for something that is believed; a right or title to something.
43. fault line (noun) – a divisive issue; a difference of opinion.
44. trust deficit (noun) – lack of trust (on authorities-from societal point of view). Situations with low levels of trust are not supportive and often counterproductive. People feel vulnerable and look at each other with suspicion. As a result, they are less open, since they fear that they will not be fairly treated by the other side.  
45. charged (adjective) – filled with; full of (excitement, tension, or emotion).
46. forged (adjective) – fabricated, falsified, fake, manufactured, false, inauthentic.
47. painstakingly (adverb) – carefully, scrupulously, meticulously.
48. coax out (phrasal verb) – persuade, convince, encourage someone to do something.
49. readily (adverb) – easily, promptly, instantly, quickly, expressly, without delay.
50. morph (verb) – change; gradually change something (image) into another one.
51. contestation (noun) – dispute, argument, controversy, disputation, debate, disagreement, contention.
52. bias (noun) – prejudice, partiality, favouritism, discrimination, one-sidedness, unfairness.
53. central (adjective) – crucial, vital, essential, critical.
54. facilitate (verb) – make easy, make possible, enable, assist, help/aid.
55. redress (noun) – reparation, restitution; remedy (of complaints); reparation (for wrongs).
56. highlight (verb) – emphasize, underscore, underline, accentuate, point up, call attention to, focus attention on.
57. bank on (phrasal verb) – rely on, depend on, count on, 
58. secure (verb) – obtain, get something with difficulty.
59. disclosure (noun) – revelation, declaration, announcement.
60. tilt/tip/shift the balance (phrase) – to change the balance of a situation, so that one side is gaining advantage.
61. authority (noun) – power, control, authorization.
62. open to question (phrase) – if something is open to question, there are doubts about it. unknown, uncertain, unsure, dubious, doubtful
63. lapse (noun) – failure, mistake, blunder, oversight.
64. entrench (verb) – establish, root, embed, settle.
65. suspicion (noun) – misgiving, doubt/qualm, scepticism.
66. allay (verb) – reduce, diminish, decrease, lessen, ease, relieve, assuage, alleviate, mitigate, temper, moderate.
67. fall on (phrasal verb) – be the responsibility of.
68. squarely (adverb) – directly, straightforwardly, forthrightly, perfectly, exactly, precisely, just
69. To that/this end (phrase) – as a method of doing something; as a way of handling something
70. allegation (noun) – charge, accusation, indictment.
71. proxy (noun) – representative; deputy, substitute. (proxy war means war through a representative/agent).

Note : 

1. Click each one of the words above for their definition, more synonyms, pronunciation, example sentences, phrases, derivatives, origin and etc. from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/.

2. Definitions (elementary level) & Synonyms provided for the words above are my personal work and not that of Oxford University Press. Tentative definitions/meanings are provided for study purposes only and they may vary in a different context.  

3. This word list is for personal use only. Reproduction in any format and/or Commercial use of it is/are strictly prohibited.

The Hindu Editorial (Rolls and loopholes) – Sep 08, 2025: