5 October 2026
Justice A. Badharudeen of the Kerala High Court heard a writ petition by the Kerala Public Service Commission (WP(Crl.) 1497/2026) on 5 October 2026.
It concerns a PSC exam for the post of Chief (Industry and Infrastructure Division) at the State Planning Board, recruited under a 2022 PSC notification.
The preliminary inquiry found nine questions unevaluated in every one of the 228 answer scripts, and one more question missed in 177 scripts.
The PSC's counsel called it a clerical error caused by a computer-related problem; the Director General of Prosecution called it an innovative fraud.
The court asked why the PSC was not cooperating with the Crime Branch, noting that no member had been accused and members were only summoned as witnesses.
The case was adjourned to 13 October 2026 for the State to file its counter-affidavit.
Answer scripts affected:
228
Unevaluated questions per script:
nine
Next hearing:
13 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Integrity of PSC recruitment and the court's view of a constitutional body's duty to cooperate with a criminal probe are recurring Kerala PSC themes.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Writ petition Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution — A High Court can issue writs to enforce rights or for any other purpose.
5 October 2026
Chief Justice Soumen Sen administered the oath on 5 October 2026 to five judges of the Kerala High Court who moved from additional to permanent status.
The five are Justices P. Krishna Kumar, K.V. Jayakumar, Muralee Krishna S., Jobin Sebastian and P.V. Balakrishnan.
The Supreme Court Collegium had cleared their names at its meeting on 23 September 2026.
An additional judge is first appointed for a limited term and later confirmed as a permanent judge.
Judges made permanent:
five
Oath administered by:
Chief Justice Soumen Sen
Collegium meeting:
23 September 2026
Why it matters for exams: How High Court judges are appointed and confirmed (Articles 217 and 224) is a standing polity topic.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Collegium Supreme Court Collegium — The body of the Chief Justice of India and senior judges that recommends judges for the higher judiciary.
4 October 2026
The 50th Vayalar Ramavarma Memorial Literary Award has gone to R Rajasree for her novel Athreyakam.
The award carries Rs 1 lakh, a bronze sculpture by Kanayi Kunhiraman and a citation.
The jury was O V Usha, Subhash Chandran and V Vijayakumar.
From 301 nominations covering 258 works, five top-scoring works went to a 20-member evaluation and the top three to the jury.
The Chief Minister will present the award on 27 October 2026 at Nishagandhi Auditorium, Thiruvananthapuram.
The award is part of the Vayalar Year 2025-26 marking 50 years since Vayalar Ramavarma's death.
Winner:
R Rajasree
Work:
Athreyakam (novel)
Prize:
₹1 lakh, bronze sculpture by Kanayi Kunhiraman, citation
Presentation:
27 October 2026, Nishagandhi Auditorium
Why it matters for exams: Kerala PSC regularly asks who won the Vayalar Award and what it carries.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kanayi Kunhiraman Kanayi Kunhiraman — The sculptor who made the bronze sculpture given with the award.
3 October 2026
The Kerala Government has given in-principle administrative sanction for phase one of a new fishing harbour at Vizhinjam.
The plan has a 235-metre breakwater at the entrance to the existing Vizhinjam harbour and a 500-metre L-shaped fishery berth.
The work will be carried out by Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd, the operator of the Vizhinjam international seaport.
Phase one includes dredging, lighting and road connectivity.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan said the harbour will help fishermen safely dock their boats and load and unload fish.
The Week reports that the Central Water and Power Research Station's wave-model studies shaped the revised design.
Breakwater:
235 metres
Fishery berth:
500 metres, L-shaped
Executing company:
Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd
Sanction:
In-principle, phase one
Why it matters for exams: Vizhinjam is Kerala's flagship port; its fishing-harbour commitment ties port development to coastal livelihoods.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Breakwater Breakwater — A barrier built in the sea to shelter a harbour from waves.
CWPRS Central Water and Power Research Station — The agency whose physical wave-model studies shaped the revised harbour design, per The Week.
1 October 2026
Justice G. Girish stayed the criminal trial on 1 October 2026 in the 2019 rash driving case against IAS officer Sriram Venkitaraman.
The journalist K.M. Basheer died after being struck by a vehicle at Museum Junction, Thiruvananthapuram, in 2019.
The petition (WP(Crl.) 1485/2026) was filed by his widow, Jaseela C., who challenged the government's rejection of her request to appoint Advocate Santhosh Kumar as Special Public Prosecutor.
In August 2026 the court had deferred the trial for a month after recording the State's in-principle commitment to appoint a special prosecutor; the petitioner says the State later made a U-turn.
The court called for the records of the government's decision; the next hearing is on 27 October 2026.
Case number:
WP(Crl.) 1485/2026
Petitioner:
Jaseela C.
Next hearing:
27 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: The role of the Public Prosecutor and the State's power to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor under the CrPC are standard law-and-governance points.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Special Public Prosecutor Prosecutor appointed for a particular case — A prosecutor the government appoints to conduct the prosecution in a specific case, apart from the regular Public Prosecutor.
5 October 2026
The temporary roof at the Aquatic Complex in Thrissur, the venue of the State School Games swimming events, collapsed in heavy rain on 1 October 2026. Four students and two parents were seriously injured. After visiting the Thrissur Aquatic Complex on 5 October, Sports Minister O J Janeesh said the collapse was a lapse at the level of officials and that action will follow. He said only four events were held in Thrissur, so a separate organising committee was not needed, and that teachers' organisations had taken charge of the committees when the DDE called a meeting. Mayor Niji Justin said she had not been invited to the organising committee meetings.
Venue:
Thrissur Aquatic Complex
Seriously injured:
four students and two parents
Sports Minister:
O J Janeesh
Mayor, Thrissur:
Niji Justin
Why it matters for exams: Event management and accountability in State-level school sports bodies, and the roles of the Sports Minister, the DDE and the Corporation, are recurring governance topics.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
DDE Deputy Director of Education — The district-level officer of the General Education Department.