Polity & Governance Current Affairs 2026 for Government Exams

The Supreme Court of India is hosting the BRICS Chief Justices' Forum 2026 in New Delhi from 4 to 6 September 2026, with Chief Justice of India Surya Kant leading the proceedings. Chief Justices and senior judges from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the UAE, plus partner countries including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Malaysia and Uzbekistan, are taking part. Sessions cover international business litigation and arbitration, mediation, artificial intelligence in courts and environmental adjudication. CJI Surya Kant held bilateral meetings with ten visiting delegations on day one. The forum is the judicial track of India's 2026 BRICS chairship, which also delivered the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The Supreme Court of India on 4 September 2026 directed seven consenting states to amend their judicial service rules and raise the retirement age of district judges from 60 to 62 years. The move addresses chronic vacancies and mounting pendency in the subordinate judiciary by retaining experienced judicial officers for two more years. Under the Constitution, High Court judges retire at 62 and Supreme Court judges at 65, while district judiciary service conditions are governed by state rules framed under Articles 233–235, which vest control of subordinate courts in the High Courts.

President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Ladakh) Regulation, 2026 on 27 August 2026, notified in the Gazette of India Extraordinary. Issued under Article 240 of the Constitution and Section 58(2) of the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019, it lets Judges and Division Courts of the common High Court sit in Ladakh at a venue chosen by the Chief Justice with the Lieutenant Governor's approval, leaving the principal seat unchanged. This completes the step the Union Cabinet approved on 20 August 2026; enforcement awaits notification by Ladakh's Administrator.

CJI Surya Kant administered the oath to five new Supreme Court judges - Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Arun Palli and Senior Advocate V. Mohana, strengthening the apex court's bench.

The Supreme Court delivered a key judgment on the Election Commission's power to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which removes duplicate, migrated and deceased entries. After Bihar, the exercise was extended to West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu, raising disenfranchisement concerns and debate over documentation.

A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan took a critical view of bail denial in the 2020 Delhi riots larger-conspiracy case, noting (18 May) that a January 2026 judgment overlooked the binding precedent in Union of India v. K.A. Najeeb (2021). On 22 May the Court granted six-month interim bail to Khalid Saifi and Tasleem Ahmad and referred to a larger bench whether prolonged pre-trial incarceration should outweigh stringent UAPA bail conditions.

President Droupadi Murmu promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, raising the number of judges (excluding the CJI) from 33 to 37, taking total strength from 34 to 38. The Union Cabinet had approved the proposal on 5 May 2026 to help clear pendency.

A special court in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, sentenced all nine policemen accused in the 2020 Sathankulam custodial death case (of P. Jayaraj and his son J. Bennix) to death, a landmark verdict on custodial violence.

Hearing petitions on the CEC and Other Election Commissioners Act, 2023, the Supreme Court described Parliament's long delay in framing a law on election commissioner appointments as the 'tyranny of the elected', amid debate over the selection committee's composition.

In Chinthada Anand v. State of Andhra Pradesh, the Court affirmed that only those professing Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism qualify as Scheduled Caste under the 1950 Presidential Order; conversion to another religion results in loss of SC status.

In Hamsaanandini Nanduri v. Union of India, the Supreme Court held adoptive mothers are entitled to 12 weeks' paid maternity leave irrespective of the child's age, striking down the under-3-months restriction as violating Articles 14 and 21.

The Supreme Court permitted removal of life support for Harish Rana, in a vegetative state since a 2013 fall - a notable application of passive euthanasia following the Common Cause (2018) 'living will' framework.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) in September 2026 to examine the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, with BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal as Chairperson. This completes the process begun when the Bill was referred to a JPC on 12 August 2026, which followed the Centre's revision of FCRA rules for NGOs in June 2026. The panel has 21 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members, including Tejasvi Surya, A. Raja, Supriya Sule and Harsh Vardhan Shringla. It must report by the first week of the Winter Session (November–December 2026), scrutinising foreign-funding transparency and NGO functioning.

Bihar and Jharkhand signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi on 31 August 2026 to share the waters of the Sone River, settling a dispute pending since Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in November 2000. Of the 7.75 million acre-feet (MAF) allotted to undivided Bihar under the 1973 Bansagar Agreement, Bihar will receive 5.75 MAF and Jharkhand 2 MAF. The pact was signed in the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, and Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary of Bihar and Hemant Soren of Jharkhand. It is the fourth inter-state water agreement of 2026.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issued a draft notification proposing mandatory front-of-pack warning labels on packaged foods high in added saturated fat, added sugar and salt, acting on a Supreme Court direction. Warnings reading 'HIGH FAT', 'HIGH SUGAR' or 'HIGH SALT' would appear in a red hexagonal box, printed one font point larger than the back-of-pack nutrition table. Thresholds follow the ICMR-NIN Dietary Guidelines for Indians, 2024. Phase I covers products high in two or more nutrients of concern plus specified sweetened beverages; Phase II extends warnings to products high in any single nutrient of concern.

At least 13 people were killed and more than 40 injured in an explosion at a firecracker unit in Thrissur, Kerala, one of several fireworks accidents reported in April.

A bus fell into a gorge in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, killing 21 people and injuring 45, highlighting road-safety challenges in hilly terrain.

At least 23 people were killed and several injured in an explosion at a firecracker factory in Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu, renewing concern over safety in the fireworks industry.

India began its first-ever digital, self-enumeration census process, with mascots 'Pragati' and 'Vikas'. The first-phase web-based self-enumeration rollout covered eight States/UTs through a facility in 16 regional languages.

The Government constituted the National Dental Commission (NDC), replacing the Dental Council of India, to align dental education and regulation with global standards - mirroring the NMC reform in medical education.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has notified the Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, shifting the processing of pending citizenship applications under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act, 1955 — inserted by the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 — to District Collectors. The change covers Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and the non-tribal areas of Assam and Tripura. Collectors may now verify documents, hold inquiries, administer the oath of allegiance and grant citizenship. This replaces the Empowered Committee and District Level Committee machinery created on 11 March 2024; two 2026 administrative orders stand rescinded, with completed actions preserved.

The Supreme Court reduced the mandatory bar-practice requirement for entry into judicial service as Civil Judge (Junior Division) from three years to one year, modifying its own 2025 ruling that had restored the three-year rule. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant with Justices Augustine George Masih and K. Vinod Chandran issued the directions, with Justice Chandran dissenting. For notifications issued on or after 1 April 2027, candidates need one year of actual practice plus one year of training and one year of clerkship after selection. The requirement stands waived for the transition window of 20 May 2025 to 31 March 2027.

The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi approved the sitting of a bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in the Union Territory of Ladakh — the court's third seat after Srinagar and Jammu. Union Home Minister Amit Shah welcomed the decision, which does not create a separate High Court for Ladakh; the J&K and Ladakh High Court remains the common High Court for both UTs. The bench spares litigants from the scattered settlements of Leh and Kargil the long journey to Jammu or Srinagar, reducing pendency. A Central Administrative Tribunal branch had already opened in Leh in 2024.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, who serves as Chairman of India's Zonal Councils, chaired the 31st meeting of the Southern Zonal Council on 20 August 2026 at Kovalam near Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers and senior representatives of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, along with the Lieutenant Governors of Puducherry and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Administrator of Lakshadweep. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperative federalism across healthcare funding, infrastructure development, environmental protection and regional security coordination among the southern States and Union Territories. The Zonal Councils, alongside bodies such as NITI Aayog's Governing Council, form part of India's institutional architecture for Centre-State and inter-State coordination on shared developmental priorities.

The Supreme Court of India has stressed the need to institutionalise the National Testing Agency (NTA) and introduce technological safeguards to improve exam reliability and integrity, amid growing concern over irregularities in national entrance exams. NTA, set up in 2017 under the Ministry of Education, conducts JEE (Main), NEET-UG, CUET and UGC-NET. The remarks add judicial weight to an active reform push: NTA's four-tier question-paper checking system rolled out a day earlier (19 Aug), Jharkhand cancelled its JSSC-CGL/TDPL exams over irregularities (18 Aug), and the government has separately introduced the Public Examinations (Unfair Means) Amendment Bill 2026 and a Nandan Nilekani-led exam-reform task force.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the National Flag and addressed the nation from the Red Fort on 15 August 2026, marking India''s 80th Independence Day — his 13th consecutive address, the most by any non-Congress PM. The speech ran about 78 minutes. Its centrepiece was the "Sapta Dhara" framework: seven streams of strength to drive Viksit Bharat by 2047, echoing the Vedic "Sapta Sindhu" (seven sacred rivers). The seven streams cover manufacturing & quality, agriculture & food processing, technology & innovation, connectivity & infrastructure, defence, the green & blue economies, and soft power. Key announcements: a mission to train one crore youth in Artificial Intelligence; free online coaching for competitive-exam aspirants; a modern Civil Defence volunteer force; and a 100 GW nuclear capacity target by 2047. For the first time in independent India, a full rendition of Vande Mataram featured in the celebrations.

On 14 August 2026 the Union Government notified 40 questions for the Population Enumeration (PE) phase of Census 2027. For the first time in independent India it includes a comprehensive caste enumeration - Question 10 is an open-ended SC/ST/Caste entry (last full caste census: 1931). The schedule captures demographic, educational and socio-economic data plus identifiers (Aadhaar, voter ID, driving licence, passport) and new fields like digital literacy and bank accounts. Census 2027 is India's first digital census. The PE phase starts 17 Aug 2026 in Ladakh and snowbound J&K, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh; the rest of India in February 2027.

The Lok Sabha referred the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) - 21 from Lok Sabha, 10 from Rajya Sabha - amid opposition objections. Introduced on 25 March 2026 by MoS Home Nityanand Rai, the Bill tightens oversight of NGOs and foreign funding and creates a Designated Authority to take over and dispose of the assets of an organisation whose FCRA registration is cancelled/surrendered/ceased (a place of worship keeps its religious character). The JPC reports by the first week of the Winter Session.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah flagged off the 'Har Ghar Tiranga Yatra' campaign at Murugaa Theatre Signal, Puducherry, during a two-day visit to the Union Territory. The Har Ghar Tiranga campaign was launched by PM Modi in 2022 under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. This year, the special focus is on commemorating 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'. During the visit, Shah presented the prestigious President's Colours to the Puducherry Police at the Police Training School ground, Gorimedu. The Har Ghar Tiranga 2026 movement (Ministry of Culture) runs 9-17 August 2026.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in consultation with the Government of Arunachal Pradesh, assigned standardised official names to 27 places and geographical features — settlements, war memorials, lakes and high-altitude passes — on the official maps of the Survey of India (finalised 7 August 2026). The move counters China''s repeated renaming exercises and reinforces India''s sovereign and legal claim; named sites include strategically significant points such as Long Ju, Thag La, Dzo La and Riza La. China (which calls Arunachal ''Zangnan / South Tibet'') had earlier issued its own lists: 6 names in 2017, 15 in 2021, 11 in 2023 and 30 in March 2024. India rejects these as ''vain and preposterous''.

Census 2027 — the world''s largest census exercise — formally began its Phase-1 Houselisting and Housing Operation (HLO), with field operations commencing in six States/UTs: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The HLO phase runs nationwide between 1 April and 30 September 2026, with each State/UT conducting a 30-day continuous field operation. This is India''s first-ever digital census, using digital data capture and a Self-Enumeration facility (portal: se.census.gov.in) — about 82 lakh households had already self-enumerated. Reference dates are 1 October 2026 for snow-bound areas and 1 March 2027 for the rest of India (Population Enumeration, Phase-2). It is conducted by the Registrar General & Census Commissioner (RGI) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, per the Census Act, 1948.

The Supreme Court (Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra) extended the mandatory third-party insurance period for newly purchased vehicles by one year: 4 years for new cars and 6 years for two-wheelers, to strengthen compliance with the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. It directed the IRDAI to implement the change immediately and, with MoRTH, to explore a No Insurance, No Fuel pilot at petrol pumps.

The Rajya Sabha passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by a voice vote on 29 July 2026 (amid Opposition walkouts). The Bill amends the parent Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 to extend its penal provisions to acts of intentional disrespect, obstruction or insult towards the national song ##Vande Mataram## - placing it on the same legal footing as the national anthem Jana Gana Mana. It was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 24 July 2026 as Bill No. LIX of 2026. Under the parent Act, offences are punishable with imprisonment up to three years, or fine, or both, and a second/subsequent conviction carries a minimum of one year's imprisonment. The Minister of State for Home said the amendment reflects the nation's collective commitment to its cultural heritage and the ideals of the freedom struggle. Vande Mataram, written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in his 1882 novel Anandamath, was adopted as the National Song by the Constituent Assembly on 24 January 1950.

Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), launched the Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme, the SAMARTH Panchayat Portal and released the Model Own Source of Revenue (OSR) Rules at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. The initiative aims to strengthen the financial autonomy, digital governance and revenue-generation capacity of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), in line with Viksit Bharat @2047. The Atmanirbhar Panchayat Programme helps Gram Panchayats and Block Panchayats identify local assets and convert them into sustainable, revenue-generating projects to strengthen their OSR. The SAMARTH Panchayat Portal is described as India's first unified digital platform for end-to-end management of Panchayat OSR. The Model OSR Rules give States and UTs an advisory framework to strengthen assessment, collection and management of Panchayat revenues, including property tax, user charges and fees.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi constituted a six-member high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani to recommend comprehensive reforms to India's examination system. The panel was formed in response to nationwide protests over exam paper leaks, particularly after the NEET-UG (National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test — Undergraduate) paper leak controversy. Other members include S. Somanath (former ISRO Chairman), Tapan Deka (former Intelligence Bureau Director), V. Kamakoti (Director, IIT Madras), Anita Karwal (former Education Secretary) and Amrit Lal Meena (logistics expert, former Coal Secretary). The task force will suggest measures to make examinations leak-proof, secure and technology-driven.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) notified the Telecommunications (Authorisation for Telecommunication Network) Rules, 2026 (notification dated 20 July 2026), barring communication infrastructure providers - cloud-based telecom networks, mobile towers, satellite gateways - from storing or sharing telecom data outside India. Every new authorised entity must ensure that all telecom data, logs and information are stored within India, with no copies routed or shared abroad. The move advances data sovereignty and marks a transition from the old licensing regime to a regulatory framework under the Telecommunications Act, 2023.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 in the Rajya Sabha on 20 July 2026, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. What it does: The Bill amends the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which currently criminalises acts of disrespect towards the National Flag, the Constitution of India and the National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana). The 2026 amendment extends the same statutory protection to the National Song, 'Vande Mataram'. Penalty: Under the existing Act, intentionally preventing the singing of the National Anthem or causing a disturbance to an assembly engaged in singing it is punishable with imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine, or both. The amendment makes the same penalties applicable to anyone who intentionally prevents or disturbs the singing of Vande Mataram. Significance: The Bill is introduced in the 150th anniversary year of the composition of Vande Mataram by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1876.

The Department of Posts (DoP) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) signed an MoU in New Delhi to conduct India's largest village-level telecom network performance survey, covering over 5.68 lakh villages in one year. Over 1.40 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDSs) will collect field data on the networks of Airtel, Jio, Vi and BSNL using a TRAI-developed Android app. The survey will identify mobile connectivity gaps and support evidence-based policy for rural telecom under Digital India.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Government of Arunachal Pradesh assigned standardised names to 27 places and geographical features — settlements, war memorials, lakes and high-altitude passes — on the official maps of the Survey of India on 7 August 2026. Named sites include Jairampur (Changlang district), Maja village, the Sher-e-Thapa Memorial (honouring 1962 war hero Trilok Singh Thapa), and passes such as Thag La, Bisa, Dzo La, Riza La and Pukur La. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) separately reaffirmed India''s sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh the same day, responding to China''s periodic renaming; the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remains an undemarcated boundary.

Parliament passed the Births and Deaths (Registration Amendment) Bill, 2026, amending the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969. It provides for online registration, Aadhaar integration, and linkage of birth certificates with educational and property records, creating a unified digital identity from birth.

Parliament passed the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, strengthening the anti-paper-leak law. It amends the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, adding dedicated fast-track courts for paper-leak cases, multi-agency task forces, and enhanced jail terms of 7-10 years (up from 3-5 years) for organised paper-leak gangs.

The 29th NCeG was organised by DARPG and MeitY with the Government of Rajasthan at the Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur (1–2 July 2026), inaugurated by CM Bhajan Lal Sharma. Theme: "Viksit Bharat 2047: AI-enabled, Data-driven & Secure Digital Governance". The National Awards for e-Governance 2026 were presented — 17 awards across 7 categories (10 Gold of ₹10 lakh each, 6 Silver of ₹5 lakh each, 1 Jury Award). The conference concluded with the adoption of the Jaipur Declaration on e-Governance 2026.

Kamarajar Port Ltd (Tamil Nadu) completed its Capital Dredging Phase VI project (~₹440 crore), achieving an operational draft of 18.0 metres — making it India's second major port after Visakhapatnam capable of handling fully laden Capesize vessels up to 1,70,000 DWT. The outer channel was deepened to 23 m and the inner channel to 22 m. Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal linked the milestone to Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

The 10th edition of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup was held 12 June – 5 July 2026 in England (12 teams, seven venues). In the final at Lord's, London, Australia beat England by 7 wickets, chasing 151 with 153/3 in 17.1 overs, for a record seventh title. Beth Mooney (64*) was Player of the Final AND Player of the Tournament, becoming the first player to win two Player-of-the-Tournament awards in T20 World Cup history (2023 & 2026). India's Shree Charani finished as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets — a record for most wickets by an Indian in a single edition.

At the U15 & U20 Asian Wrestling Championships 2026 in Pattaya, Thailand (27 June–5 July), India won 41 medals — 20 in U20 (4G-7S-9B) and 21 in U15 (8G-6S-7B), including the U15 bronze team trophy. At Wimbledon 2026, Jannik Sinner reached his 10th Grand Slam semifinal and Novak Djokovic edged Felix Auger-Aliassime in five sets; defending champion Carlos Alcaraz missed the event with a wrist injury (final due 12 July).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on 8 July 2026 during a three-day state visit from 6 to 8 July 2026. He visited the site with President Prabowo Subianto and offered prayers at the Hindu temple dedicated to the Trimurti, namely Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on 8 July 2026 during a three-day state visit from 6 to 8 July 2026. He visited the site with President Prabowo Subianto and offered prayers at the Hindu temple dedicated to the Trimurti, namely Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma.

The Beating Retreat ceremony, marking the formal conclusion of Republic Day celebrations, was held at Vijay Chowk, New Delhi, on 29 January.

Thirty tableaux rolled down Kartavya Path - 17 from States/UTs and 13 from Ministries/Departments/Services - with highlights from Assam (terracotta), Kerala (Water Metro), Odisha ('Soil to Silicon') and Nagaland (Hornbill Festival).

The parade centred on 'Svatantrata Ka Mantra - Vande Mataram' (marking 150 years of the national song, composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in 1875) and 'Samriddhi Ka Mantra - Aatmanirbhar Bharat'.

For the first time, two EU leaders were joint chief guests at the 77th Republic Day - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa - who visited India (25-27 January) to co-chair the 16th India-EU Summit.

PM Modi marked a decade of the Startup India initiative (launched 16 Jan 2016) at Bharat Mandapam; DPIIT-recognised startups grew to over 2.09 lakh by December 2025, creating over 21 lakh jobs.

The Ministry of Coal released draft amendments removing area limits on reconnaissance, exploration and mining licences, and codifying central power to auction exploration licences.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports notified the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026 under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, covering eligibility, disqualification and 'Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit' appointments.

UGC circulated a uniform mental-health policy for higher education institutions (aligned with NEP 2020), requiring support centres, a 1:500 faculty-mentor ratio and linkage with the Tele-MANAS helpline.

UGC notified the 'Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions' (Anti-Discrimination) Regulations, mandating Equity Committees and Equal Opportunity Centres. Amid campus protests, the Supreme Court stayed implementation around 29 January.

Both Houses held a special discussion on the 150th anniversary of the National Song 'Vande Mataram' (8 December in Lok Sabha; 9-11 December in Rajya Sabha).

The AI-enabled Rural Internal Audit Portal was launched at the Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, to strengthen transparency and accountability in rural development spending.

Marking two years of the government's second term, PM Modi inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects worth over Rs 47,600 crore at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha. He also released the Odisha Vision Document and launched the Baraputra Aitihya Gram Yojana to preserve the heritage of iconic Odia personalities.

The rules define a vehicle not declared fit within 180 days as an 'end-of-life vehicle' and require geo-tagged video capture of fitness tests uploaded via a central government app, tightening the vehicle-scrappage framework.

MoRTH revised overloading toll rules: no fee up to 10% excess load, twice the base rate for 10-40% overload and four times for above 40%, with certified weighing devices at fee plazas.

The India-flagged LPG tanker Jag Vikram became the first Indian vessel to cross the Strait of Hormuz after the 2026 Iran war ceasefire, easing concerns over India's energy supply routes.

The Kankaria Coaching Depot in Ahmedabad (Western Railway) became India's first water-neutral railway depot, saving nearly 1.60 lakh litres of water daily using phytoremediation.

PM Modi inaugurated Phase I of the Noida International Airport at Jewar (Gautam Buddha Nagar, UP), built at about Rs 11,200 crore under PPP with an initial capacity of 12 million passengers per year, scalable to 70 million.

Effective 17 March, the penalty for unpaid user fees was set at twice the toll (only the original fee if paid within 72 hours of an e-notice), with VAHAN-linked vehicle restrictions after 15 days.

The Delimitation Bill, 2026 and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 sought to increase Lok Sabha size and enable delimitation based on the 2011 census, with women's reservation linked to the new delimitation.

Part of the delimitation package, the Bill proposed raising the maximum Lok Sabha strength to 850 members (up to 815 from states and 35 from UTs) and enabling women's reservation based on a fresh delimitation exercise.

The Supreme Court upheld the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, affirming the Election Commission's power under Article 324 of the Constitution and Section 21(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

Results for West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were announced. The BJP won a majority in West Bengal, retained Assam for a third term, and the Congress-led UDF won Kerala ousting the LDF, alongside regional churn in Tamil Nadu.

As the ECI prepared to conduct a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Manipur, the Supreme Court asked it to accept voter ID cards as valid documents, given the displacement of tribal communities amid ethnic violence.

Polling for the Tamil Nadu Assembly was held on 23 April, while the West Bengal Assembly election was held in phases over 23-29 April, ahead of results in early May.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026 - seeking to raise the Lok Sabha ceiling to 850 seats, base delimitation on the 2011 census and enable women's reservation - was negatived for want of a two-thirds majority; the accompanying Delimitation Bill and UT Laws Bill became infructuous.

Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, advancing trust-based governance by decriminalising minor offences, removing outdated provisions and reducing the litigation burden on citizens and businesses.

The Home Ministry set up a committee chaired by Justice (Retd.) Prakash Prabhakar Navlekar to study demographic change from illegal immigration and recommend measures on deportation and border management, with its report due within one year.

The Budget Session (28 Jan-18 Apr 2026) was adjourned sine die after 31 sittings, extended by three days beyond schedule. Ten Bills were introduced and six passed, and the Union Budget 2026-27 was approved.

Parliament passed the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2026, advancing trust-based governance by decriminalising minor offences, removing outdated rules and reducing the litigation burden on citizens and businesses.

Bills passed included the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, the Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Bill, the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill and the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill.

The Committee on Communications and IT (Chair: Dr Nishikant Dubey) flagged deepfake and AI-surveillance risks and recommended comprehensive legislation against AI misuse plus AI courses in schools.

Introduced on 25 March to amend FCRA, 2010. On cancellation or surrender of an FCRA certificate, foreign contributions and assets would vest in a government-notified 'Designated Authority'.

Introduced by Social Justice Minister Dr Virendra Kumar, the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha (24 March) and Rajya Sabha (25 March). It amends the 2019 Act, provides for District Magistrate identity certificates via a medical board, and raises punishment for forcing a transgender identity to 10 years-to-life.

The Committee on Empowerment of Women (Chair: Dr D. Purandeswari) reported that cybercrimes against women rose 239% (2017-2022, NCRB), recommending 'Cyber Safety Ambassadors' and mandatory KYC across social-media and gaming platforms.

Introduced on 23 March to amend the Companies Act 2013 and LLP Act 2008 and referred to a Joint Committee, it raises small-company thresholds (share capital to Rs 20 crore, turnover to Rs 200 crore) and updates the CSR net-profit trigger to Rs 10 crore.

The Bill seeks to amend 80 central Acts to decriminalise and rationalise minor offences (up from 17 in the 2025 version), with fines rising 10% every three years. The Select Committee, chaired by Tejasvi Surya, reported on 13 March 2026.

Parliament's Budget Session resumed on 9 March 2026 after the recess, scheduled to conclude on 2 April. During the session the Finance Bill 2026 and two Appropriation Bills were passed, along with several new legislative measures.

The Budget Session began on 28 January with President Droupadi Murmu's address to a joint sitting of both Houses; it was scheduled in two phases (28 Jan-13 Feb and 9 Mar-2 Apr) with 30 sittings.

The Budget Session began on 28 January with the President's Address; the first half ran to 13 February, featuring the presentation and general discussion of the Union Budget.

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.

Notified to clean up the statute book by repealing obsolete laws and making minor amendments, without affecting existing rights or ongoing proceedings.

It amends the Insurance Act 1938, LIC Act 1956 and IRDA Act 1999, with the headline change allowing 100% FDI in Indian insurance companies, plus mandatory KYC and stronger IRDAI powers.

The Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act replaces MGNREGA, 2005 and guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household per year, with biometric authentication, geo-tagging and social audits.

The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHAKTI) Act repeals the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, opening nuclear power to a new licensing framework with a Nuclear Liability Fund.

The Bill seeks to create an apex higher-education regulator and repeal the UGC Act 1956, AICTE Act 1987 and NCTE Act 1993; it was referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament.

This Finance Ministry law levies a new cess on machines/processes producing specified goods (notably tobacco and nicotine products) to fund national security and public health.

It revises the Fourth Schedule of the Central Excise Act 1944, raising duty rates on tobacco products (e.g., unmanufactured tobacco to 70% and other manufactured tobacco up to 125%).

The Bill, which consolidates India's securities laws into a single code, was introduced and referred to the Departmental Standing Committee for examination.

The Winter Session ran 1-19 December 2025 (15 sittings) and was adjourned sine die on 19 December, with 8 Bills passed by both Houses; Lok Sabha productivity was ~110% and Rajya Sabha ~121%.

The Court held that the ECI can undertake a limited inquiry into an individual's citizenship to decide eligibility for inclusion in the electoral roll, but clarified that such a determination is not a final or conclusive decision on citizenship.

The government declared that the decades-long Naxalite (Left-Wing Extremism) insurgency had been effectively ended, with remaining cadres reported killed, arrested or surrendered - a milestone that dominated security discourse into April.

India announced the effective end of the Naxalite (Left-Wing Extremism) insurgency after Home Minister Amit Shah reported that most remaining cadres had been killed, arrested or had surrendered following intensified operations.

Introduced in the Rajya Sabha to regulate recruitment, deputation and promotions across the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB, mandating IPS deputation for 50% of IG posts, 67% of ADG posts and all DG posts.

The Labour Ministry notified rules operationalising the four Labour Codes, capping weekly working hours at 48, allowing women night shifts with consent and safeguards, and granting gig/platform workers social-security eligibility.

Climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk was released from jail after the Government quashed National Security Act charges against him, following the Ladakh statehood and Sixth Schedule protests.

A Bill amending the Industrial Relations Code, 2020 was introduced and passed by both Houses during the Budget session, advancing labour-law reform.