Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 24, 2026

• Article 171 of the Constitution lays down the composition of the Legislative Council.
• It states that the total number of members in the Legislative Council of a State shall not exceed one-third of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly of that State, and in no case shall it be less than 40. Hence, option (b) is correct.
• This provision ensures a balance between the two Houses, while retaining the Assembly’s primacy.

• The CBI was set up by a resolution of the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1963, but its powers of investigation are derived from the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946. Hence, option (c) is correct.
• The Act provides the legal framework for its functioning, especially in corruption and economic offences.

Soil formation is influenced by a combination of five major factors.

• Parent rock determines the mineral composition.
• Climate influences weathering and humus content.
• Biota, including vegetation and microorganisms, add organic matter.
• Topography affects drainage and erosion,
• Time allows these processes to act over long durations. All the given factors play a vital role in soil development.

Hence, option (d) is correct.

• The Patagonian Desert in Argentina is caused primarily by the rain-shadow effect of the Andes Mountains. Hence, option (b) is correct.
• Moist winds from the Pacific lose rainfall on the western slopes, leaving the eastern side arid.
• This makes Patagonia one of the largest mid-latitude deserts in the world.

• The ‘Loo’ is a strong, hot, and dry wind blowing across northwestern India and the Indo-Gangetic plains during May and June.
• It arises due to the horizontal transfer of hot air masses, a process known as advection. Hence, option (b) is correct.
• These winds significantly raise daytime temperatures, often crossing 45°C, and may cause heatstrokes.