Tayfun Block-4 – Turkey’s First Hypersonic Ballistic Missile

📍 Overview

Tayfun Block-4 is Turkey's first hypersonic ballistic missile, recently unveiled in Istanbul, marking a major advancement in Turkish defense capabilities.

📌 Key Details:

• 🚀 Developer: Turkish defense company Roketsan

• ⚙️ Type: Hypersonic version of the Tayfun missile (Turkey’s longest-range domestically made ballistic missile)

• 🌐 Speed: Hypersonic (≥ Mach 5, or 5 times the speed of sound)

• 📏 Length: 6.5 meters

• ⚖️ Weight: 2,300 kg

📌 Features:

• 🎯 Operational Range: Up to 800 km, planned extension to 1000 km

• 🎛️ Guidance System: Combination of

  • GPS (Global Positioning System)

  • GLONASS (Russian satellite system)

  • INS (Inertial Navigation System)
    ➤ Delivers high accuracy with a maximum error of just 5 meters

• 💣 Warhead: Fragmentation warhead

• 🧪 Fuel: Uses solid composite fuel – allows rapid response and reliable deployment

• 🎯 Target Capability: Designed for strategic targets such as

  • Air defense systems

  • Command centers

  • Critical infrastructure

📌 Significance:
Tayfun Block-4 reflects Turkey’s push into advanced missile technology, joining a select group of countries with hypersonic strike capability.

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🗳️ Election of the Vice-President of India

(Updated context: Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned — EC must conduct elections immediately)

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⭐ Who Elects the Vice-President?

• Elected by an Electoral College consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha)

• The system used:
  🔸 Proportional representation
  🔸 Single transferable vote
  🔸 Secret ballot

• ★ Unlike the President, state assemblies are not involved in this election.

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📌 Eligibility Criteria for Vice-President

A person must:

• ★ Be a citizen of India

• ★ Be at least 35 years old

• ★ Be qualified to be elected to the Rajya Sabha

• ❌ Must not hold any office of profit under the Government of India or state/local bodies.

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🧾 Important Rules

• If an MP/MLA is elected as Vice-President, their seat becomes automatically vacant.

• Vice-President is not a member of any legislature while in office.

• ★ Term: 5 years from the day they take charge.

• ★ Elections must be held before term expiry or immediately if resigned/removed/deceased.

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🏛️ Conducting the Election

• Authority: ★ Election Commission of India (Article 324)

• Returning Officer: Usually the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha (rotational basis)

• Nomination:
  🔸 Requires support of at least 20 MPs as proposers
  🔸 And 20 MPs as seconders
  🔸 Security deposit: ★ ₹15,000

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⚖️ Disputes in Election

• ★ All disputes related to the Vice-President election are handled by the Supreme Court of India

• A 5-judge bench hears such cases

• The Supreme Court’s decision is final

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📌 Quick Revision Facts

• Electoral College: Both Houses of Parliament

• Voting system: Proportional representation + Single transferable vote

• Term: 5 years

• Conducting Authority: ★ Election Commission

• Legal disputes: ★ Supreme Court

• Age: ★ Minimum 35 years

• Deposit: ★ ₹15,000

• Proposers/Seconders: ★ 20 + 20 MPs

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