Draft Pesticide Management Bill, 2025 Released

1 January 2026National

The Ministry of Agriculture released the draft Bill for comments; it proposes to replace the Insecticides Act, 1968 and create a Central Pesticides Board and a Registration Committee.

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CISF Replaces Territorial Sectors with Sector-Specific Functional Commands from 1 November 2026

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved a restructuring of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) that replaces territorial supervision with sector-specific functional commands from 1 November 2026. Cleared under Director General Praveer Ranjan, it reorganises 8 of the 11 territorial sectors: the NCR, North, North Eastern-II, Eastern, Central and North Eastern sectors become the GBMM and MRTS, Power-I, Power-II, Coal, Steel and Petroleum and Natural Gas sectors, while the Western and Southern sectors become the West Coast Port and East Coast Port sectors covering about 250 seaports including 13 major ports. The Atomic Energy and Space sector and both airport sectors stay unchanged.

GK ByteCISF was raised in 1969 under the CISF Act 1968 with three battalions and is headquartered in New Delhi under the Ministry of Home Affairs | It is the only central armed police force with a dedicated private-sector security wing, added by a 2009 amendment | India's Central Armed Police Forces are CISF, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles

📅 21 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

CJI Surya Kant Inaugurates the Ladakh Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court at Leh

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant inaugurated the Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh at Melongthang in Leh on 18 October 2026, giving the Union Territory its first permanent High Court bench at an altitude of about 3,500 metres. Supreme Court judges M. M. Sundresh and P. S. Narasimha, High Court Chief Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati, Attorney General R. Venkataramani and Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena attended. Three digital services were launched — an e-Filing Portal, a Document Management System and an Online Recruitment Portal — alongside a Green Wall initiative and solar installations at 11 judicial sites.

GK ByteThe High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh is the common High Court for the two Union Territories, with its principal seats at Srinagar and Jammu | Article 214 provides a High Court for each state and Article 231 allows a common High Court for two or more states or Union Territories | Ladakh became a Union Territory without a legislature on 31 October 2019 under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019

📅 18 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

Ministry of Cooperation Notifies MSCARO 2026, a Risk-Based Audit Reporting Order for Multi-State Cooperatives

The Ministry of Cooperation has issued the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Auditor's Report) Order, 2026 (MSCARO 2026), a standardised, risk-based audit-reporting framework for multi-state cooperative societies, under Section 73(6) of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023. It extends to cooperatives the company-audit discipline of CARO, requiring auditors to report in a uniform format on fixed assets, loans, statutory dues and internal controls. Phase 1 applies to societies with over Rs 1,000 crore in relevant financial parameters, with later phases covering those above Rs 50 crore. The Ministry of Cooperation was carved out in July 2021 under Amit Shah.

GK ByteThe Ministry of Cooperation was carved out of the Ministry of Agriculture in July 2021 with the motto 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' | Cooperative societies are a State subject under Entry 32 of the State List, while multi-state cooperative societies fall under Entry 44 of the Union List | The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 inserted Article 43B and Part IXB dealing with cooperative societies

📅 17 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

Sankoo Notified as the Eighth District of Union Territory Ladakh

The Ladakh administration has notified Sankoo as the Union Territory's eighth district, carved out of Kargil district. Notification S.O. 284, issued by the Revenue Department on 16 October 2026, places the tehsils of Sankoo, GM Pore, TSG and Taisuru in the new district. Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena announced the decision after clearance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Sankoo lies in the Suru Valley, about 42 km south of Kargil town at roughly 3,150 m, known for its apricot orchards. It follows the five districts - Changthang, Drass, Nubra, Sham and Zanskar - created in April 2026.

GK ByteLadakh became a Union Territory without a legislature on 31 October 2019 under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, with only Leh and Kargil as districts | Five new districts - Changthang, Drass, Nubra, Sham and Zanskar - were created in April 2026, before Sankoo became the eighth | Ladakh is administered by a Lieutenant Governor appointed by the President under Article 239 of the Constitution

📅 16 Oct 2026PolityRead complete →

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