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Special Content
13_01_2023 1.
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S.
Headline GS Paper Genre
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1 A Healthy Protein Regime. GS - III Science & Technology.

2 Remote Voting. GS - II Polity.

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Akella Raghavendra’s e-Gurukulam for IAS 8897826108

 A safe sub-unit protein vaccine will further enhance booster
protection against Covid variants
A Healthy Protein Regime
• The Virus vector vaccine (Covishield) and the inactivated virus vaccine (Covaxin), sub-unit protein
vaccines that are safe.

Jewel in the Corona

• Two protein sub-unit Covid vaccines produced by reputed Indian manufacturers (Corbevax and
Covovax) were ready for introduction into India’s vaccination programme and the global supply
chain.
• India does have a creditable record of accomplishment of producing ans exporting protein sub-unit
vaccines.
• Hepatitis B, Hepatitis E and Human Papilloma virus vaccines are examples.
• Protein sub-unit vaccines are safe, because they use only a part of the microbe as an antigenic
stimulus, avoiding any possibility of disease being caused by the whole organism.
• Further, these vaccines have not been associated with adverse, effects like myocarditis linked to
mRNA vaccines or venous and arterial thrombosis observed in some persons receiving virus vector
vaccines.
• Sub-unit vaccines use a fragment of the virus or bacterium that is a prominent antigen capable of
evoking a good immune response, and is also usually involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.
• The microbial fragment may be a protein, sugar (polysaccharide) or a combination (conjugate).
• In the case of the Sars-Cov-2 virus, the chosen antigen in the spike protein that the microbe uses to
attach itself to the human cell surface and open the door for entry into the cell.
• Unlike mRNA vaccines that introduce the genetic code for in vivo manufacture of the spike protein
by human cells, the recombinant protein sub-unit vaccines supply an externally produced spike
protein fragment to the body.
• This does not involve the human genetic machinery in production of the antigen.
• Because the whole virus is not used, the immune response will be selective and not directed to other
antigens of the microbe.
• Protein in sub-unit vaccines like Corbevax are usually made by inserting the genetic code of the
antigen into yeast cells, which are easy to grow and are prolific in protein production.
• Grown in fermentation tanks, they are split open to extract the antigen.
• Covovax uses an engineered baculovirus to infect cultured moth cells.

Akella Raghavendra’s e-Gurukulam for IAS 8897826108

 • Spike protein produced by them is assembled on synthetic lipid nanoparticles.
• Since the antigen used in these vaccines is only a part of the microbe, it may stimulate copious
antibody production, without generating cytotoxic T-cells that can kill the virus.
• For this reason, sub-unit protein vaccines are usually combined with an ‘adjuvant’ chemical that can
mobilise T-cells.
• Corbevax uses the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the spike protein as the antigen and an adjuvant
comprising alum and CpG 1018.
• Covovax uses a saponin-based adjuvant.

Vax Still the silver Bullet

• Covovax was mainly produced for export, as the India-made brand of Novovax.
• Produced by Hyderabad based Biological Evans, Corbevax was developed in partnership with a
Houston-based firm linked to scientists from Baylor College of Medicine.
• With waiver of intellectual property rights, this vaccine is available for production and use in
developing countries.
• Presently, it is approved for use in India and Botswana.
• It is awaiting WHOs approval that will make it eligible for use across the world.
• Since many individuals have by now have had earlier exposure to virus and vaccines, evidence of
efficacy of Corbevax is based on the augmented immunological response to the vaccine.
• In India, the Covid sub-unit vaccine were originally cleared for two-dose primarily vaccination of
children, due to the general track record of safety of such vaccines.
• With the manufactures claiming high levels of antibody production in their studies, the sub-unit
protein Covid vaccine has also recently received approval for use as a ‘heterologous’ booster in
Indians who had earlier received two or three doses of Covaxin or Covishield.
• Studies across the world have shown that heterologous vaccine administration, which sequentially
uses vaccines made from different platforms, is more effective in providing protective immunity
when compared to homologous regimens that repeat the same vaccine.

Akella Raghavendra’s e-Gurukulam for IAS 8897826108

 • Availability of a safe sub-unit protein vaccine will enable those who seek booster doses to protect
themselves.
• Even when Omicron variants like BE7 are exhibiting increased capacity for evading previously
acquired immunity, a surge of antibodies from such boosters may be capable of preventing severe
disease in those who are infected.

Remote Voting
On December 29 last year, the Election Commission took a giant leap in voter inclusion
when it announced it had developed a multi-constituency remote EVM (Electronic Voting
Machine)-or RVM (Remote Voting Machine)- that would allow migrants to vote from
anywhere in the country. ‘Lost Votes’ campaign had highlighted the plight of millions of
migrants who want to vote but can’t return to their hometowns on voting day. This new
technology will hopefully ensure their votes get counted. The EC has circulated a concept
paper to familiarize all recognized national and state political parties with the legal,
administrative and technological aspects of remote voting and requested their feedback
by January 31. It will also demonstrate the functioning of the protype RVM on January 16
before representatives of all these parties.
What’s The Need For Remote Voting?
• About a third of Indian voters do not vote. In the 2019 Parliamentary election, approximately 30 crore
voters- almost the entire populations of the US- did not participate.
• The EC recognizes three main reasons for this:
1. Urban apathy,
2. Youth apathy and
3. Migration-based disenfranchisement. Remote voting addresses the third issue.
• At present, the problem is that section 19 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 requires a
voter to be enrolled only in the constituency where they are ordinarily resident.
• If they migrate to work, study, marry, etc, they must apply for enrolment at their new residence and
get their name deleted from the old list.
• But it’s a cumbersome process so not many bother to enroll afresh, mainly because they didn’t know
long they will stay in the new place.
• The rules also dictate that voters must be physically present at the polling station to vote.
• The option of postal ballots is only available to:
1. Service voters,
2. Foreign mission staff,
3. People engaged in essential service,
4. Those over the age of 80,

Akella Raghavendra’s e-Gurukulam for IAS 8897826108

 5. Persons with disabilities and
6. Covid-positive persons.
• In 2015, while hearing a case on the denial of voting rights to domestic migrants, the Supreme Court
had also asked the EC to explore options for remote voting.
• Solutions like internet voting, proxy voting, early voting and postal Ballot for migrant voters were
considered but the EC refrained from recommending any of these.
• Instead, it focused on creating a robust electoral roll so that there is only one registration per voter,
developing requisite technology for two-way electronic transmission of postal ballots in a controlled
environment, and the amendment of laws to provide sufficient time for pre-registering such electors.

Akella Raghavendra’s e-Gurukulam for IAS 8897826108

Why The Push For RVMs Now?
• During an 18-km trek to some of the remotest polling stations in Uttarakhand, in May last year, CEC
Rajiv Kumar learnt first-hand how domestic migration was a key contributor to low voter turnout and
also how much migrants were concerned at being left out of the decision-making process in their
home constituency, simply because they could not travel there on polling day.
• A committee was set up soon after to finalize the remote voting proposal.
• The proposal shared by the EC with all recognized political parties on December 29 offers solutions
to the procedural, legal and administrative issues related to remote voting.

How Was The RMV Designed?

• The EC worked with The Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) that supply EVMs (Electronic Voting
Machine) – Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Electronics corporation of India Ltd (ECIL)- to develop a
robust. Foolproof and efficient standalone system for remote voting based on the existing ‘M3’
model of EMV, Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) has now developed a prototype of multi
constituency remote EVM (RVM) that can handle voting for 72 constituencies from single remote
polling booth.
• The RVM is a non-networked device, just like the EMVs currently in use.
• The EC claims it is tamper-proof and secure.

How Does An RVM Work?

• A voter from state A, staying in state B, would be able to vote in A’s elections from a special remote
voting booth set up in B.
• Each special booth would cater to voters of multiple constituencies in state A.
• As a pilot, remote polling booths might be set up within a state during state legislature polls for those
voters who cannot travel back to their home district or consistency.
• To cater to multiple assembly or parliamentary constituencies, the RVM will have a constituency card
reader and a dynamic ballot display.
• After reading the constituency number, it will display the list of candidates in that particular
constituency.

What Challenges Remain?

Legal: Amendments will be needed in Representation of the People Act, 1950 and 1951; Conduct of
election Rules, 1961; and The Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. ‘Migrant Voter’ will need to be defined in

Akella Raghavendra’s e-Gurukulam for IAS 8897826108

terms of period and purpose of absence. Remote Voting, too, will need to be defined as whether
‘remoteness’ means outside the constituency, district or state.

Administrative: Enumerating remote voters; ensuring secrecy of voting at remote locations; preventing
impersonation; deciding number and location of remote polling booths; appointing polling personnel for
remote polling stations, and implementing model code in locations outside the poll-bound state.

Technological: Procedure of remote voting; familiarizing voters with multi-constituency RMV; counting
votes cast at remote booths and transmitting results to returning officers in poll-bound state.

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