The Hindu Editorial (​​Free and fair) – Mar 21, 2025

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The Hindu Editorial (​​​​​​​​​Free and fair) – Mar 21, 2025:

1. call (for) (phrasal verb) – require, demand, ask for, need, necessitate, entail.
2. call (for) (noun) – appeal, request, plea, demand, reason, need, requirement.
3. transparency (noun) – clearness, clarity, straightforwardness, openness, honesty, unambiguity.
4. undermine (verb) – weaken, subvert, sabotage, damage.
5. soften (verb) – ease, lessen, make less severe.
6. soften one’s stance (phrase) – to become less strict; to become flexible (in one’s position/ideas).
7. stand (noun) – stance, position, point of view, approach, way of thinking, perspective.
8. disclose (verb) – reveal, release, unveil, communicate, publish, make public.
9. absolute (adjective) –  complete, total, entire, perfect.
10. cast (verb) – vote, register a vote.
11. in the midst of (phrase) – in the middle of.
12. mandate (noun) – instruction, directive, direction, order, law, statute, ruling.
13. Form 17C (noun) – it contains the account of votes recorded at each polling station.
14. polling agent (noun) – a person who is appointed by the candidate standing for election to oversee conduct of the poll at polling stations.
15. hearing (noun) – lawsuit, proceedings, inquiry, legal proceedings, legal action.
16. take over (phrasal verb) – assume control of, take charge of, be elevated to.
17. open to (adjective) – available, accessible, on offer.
18. sought past tense of seek (verb) – request, ask for, call on, apply for.
19. direction (noun) – instruction, order, guidance, suggestion.
20. authenticated (adjective) – validated, verified, certified, sealed, attested.
21. legible (adjective) – readable, easy to read, understandable, clear, printed.
22. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) (noun) –  it is a non-partisan, non-governmental organization which works in the area of electoral and political reforms.
23. representation (noun) – a statement or report.
24. mean (verb) – intend to be the case.
25. universally (adverb) – always, commonly, generally, invariably.
26. result in (verb) – cause, lead to, bring about, give rise to. 
27. evolve (verb) – develop, progress, advance gradually.
28. turnout (noun) – participation, attendance. (Voter turnout refers to the number or percentage of eligible voters who cast their ballots). 
29. in terms of (phrase) – with regard to, regarding, concerning, in respect of, with reference to.
30. speculation (noun) – assumption, supposition, presumption, expectation, guess, guesswork, opinion/notion.
31. at the close of (phrase) – at the end of something.
32. prevalence (noun) – occurrence, commonness, extensiveness, widespread presence.
33. difference (noun) – variation, deviation, contradiction, differentiation, gap.
34. subsequently (adverb) – eventually, later on, thereafter, afterwards, consequently, in the end.  
35. figure (noun) – number.
36. at the end (phrase) – eventually, finally.
37. as the result of (phrase) – because of, due to, thanks to, on account of, owing to.
38. collation (noun) – an act of comparing, analyzing, weighing against (two or more sources of information).
39. far-flung (adjective) – distant, far away, remote.
40. petitioner (noun) – litigator, litigant, appellant, complainant, claimant, plaintiff.
41. by hand (phrase) – manually, by a person.
42. official (noun) – officer, office-holder, functionary, bureaucrat, mandarin.grouse (noun) – complaint, grumble, objection.
43. activist (noun) – a person who supports a political change or cause; (or societal change/cause).
44. discrepancy (noun) – contradiction, difference, variance, variation, deviation, dissimilarity, disagreement, paradox, incongruity.
45. in the absence of (phrase) – without someone or something.
46. in hand (phrase) – available, ready (for use if required).
47. suspicion (noun) – misgiving, doubt/qualm, scepticism.
48. offer to (verb) – to say that you are willing/ready to do something for someone or give something to someone.
49. dogmatic (adjective) – insistent, adamant, uncompromising, rigid, inflexible, narrow-minded.
50. opposition (noun) – resistance, objection, criticism, defiance, protest, discontent, disapproval, disagreement.
51. procedural (adjective) – official, formal, systematic, methodical, organized.
52. apprehension (noun) – mistrust, distrust, qualm, doubt, suspicion, lack of faith, worry, scepticism, misgiving.
53. futile (adjective) – pointless, useless, valueless.
54. hold (verb) – have.
55. position (noun) – stance, attitude, point of view, way of thinking, thought, perspective.
56. integrity (noun) – righteousness, uprightness, morality, probity, honesty, fairness.
57. cast/show in a bad light (phrase) – to make someone appear to be a bad/negative person.
58. in a bad light (phrase) – in a method that makes someone or something to look bad; so as to give bad impression.
59. ought to (modal verb) – must, should.
60. reassessment (noun) – review, re-examination, rethink, re-evaluation, reappraisal, reconsideration.

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 (​​​​​​Free and fair) – Mar 21, 2025: