Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Scientists have formally identified Leopardus tilcayo as a new wild cat species in Bolivia’s lush mountainous Yungas cloud forests. This marks the first living cat species to be formally described in over a century.

Statement 2 is incorrect: The Tilcayo is a tiny wild cat measuring approximately 46 centimetres long and weighing around 1.4 to 2 kilograms (about 3 to 4 pounds). This makes it smaller than an average domestic cat, not larger.

Statement 3 is correct: Through genetic and genomic analyses, researchers confirmed that Leopardus tilcayo represents a distinct evolutionary lineage that diverged from other related South American tiger cats approximately 1.4 million years ago.

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: The two-day conference concluded in Goa on 17 September 2026. It was organized by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, with the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa, acting as the nodal institute.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Representatives and experts from all seven BIMSTEC member states (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand) participated in the conference, not just select countries.

Statement 3 is correct: The Second BIMSTEC Nodal Group Meeting held alongside the conference deliberated on four key areas of cooperation. This led to the consensus known as the 'Goa Conclusions', providing a roadmap for regional cooperation in traditional knowledge, trade, and standards.

Answer: A

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: BIMSTEC was founded on 6 June 1997 through the adoption of the Bangkok Declaration. Its permanent secretariat is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Statement 2 is correct: Geographically and strategically, BIMSTEC bridges South Asia and Southeast Asia. For India, it acts as a vital overlapping platform that synergizes the "Neighbourhood First" initiative with the "Act East" policy, complemented by cross-border connectivity projects like the Kaladan Project and the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine is established in Jamnagar, Gujarat (India), not in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dhaka serves as the headquarters of BIMSTEC itself, not the WHO traditional medicine center.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct: Under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has the exclusive power to decide issues concerning splits or mergers of a recognized political party. It is the sole adjudicating authority in such organizational disputes.

Statement 2 is incorrect:  The decisions rendered by the ECI under Paragraph 15 are binding and final, subject only to judicial review by High Courts or the Supreme Court via a writ petition or special leave petition. There is no requirement for automatic validation by the Supreme Court within six months.

Statement 3 is correct: When an emergency or a critical election forces the ECI to place an interim freeze on a symbol to ensure a level playing field, neither faction is permitted to use the original name or symbol. They must propose alternative names and pick available options from the ECI’s list of "free symbols."

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: Article 324 covers elections to Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President of India. It does not deal with elections to Panchayats and Municipalities in the states. Local body elections are superintended, directed, and controlled by separate State Election Commissions established under Articles 243K and 243ZA.

Statement 2 is correct: Article 325 explicitly states that no person can be ineligible for inclusion in, or claim a special electoral roll to be included in, any electoral roll on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, or any of them.

Statement 3 is correct: Article 329 bars the interference of courts in electoral matters, specifying that elections to either House of Parliament or a State Legislature can only be challenged via an election petition presented to such authority and in such manner as provided by an appropriate legislature.

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Constitution does not fix the strength of the ECI permanently. Under Article 324(2), it consists of the CEC and such number of other Election Commissioners, if any, as the President may fix from time to time. Originally it was a single-member body, and it became a multi-member body later.

Statement 2 is correct: When a multi-member setup is active, the CEC and other Election Commissioners operate on equal footing, holding identical decision-making and voting powers, with differences of opinion resolved via a collective majority vote. They also draw salaries equivalent to a judge of the Supreme Court.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Only the CEC enjoys security of tenure and can be removed via impeachment by Parliament (similar to a Supreme Court judge). Other Election Commissioners do not have identical removal protection; they can be removed by the President upon the recommendation of the Chief Election Commissioner.