17 October 2026
Justice S. Manu, sitting on Saturday, 17 October 2026, declined to stay a State order of 16 October 2026 that cancelled the appointments of the sitting Kerala State Waqf Board members and nominated nine new members.
The petitioners, K.S. Hamza and C.K. Usman Haji, the Board's former chairperson and member, argued that the amended Waqf Act permits removal of members under Section 20 and supersession of the Board under Section 99 only in specified situations.
The Additional Advocate General told the court that the earlier Board had been constituted without complying with Section 14, which deals with representation of different Muslim communities.
The court relied on the Supreme Court's judgment in The State of Maharashtra v. Shaikh Mahemud, that the power to appoint Board members carries with it the power to cancel those appointments.
It said that prima facie it found no merit in the submission that the reconstitution contradicted what the State had earlier told a Division Bench.
It directed that the reconstitution remain subject to the outcome of the two writ petitions, issued notice to the new members, and referred both pleas to the Division Bench already hearing related petitions.
New members nominated:
Nine
Date of the State order:
16 October 2026
Sections argued:
Sections 14, 20 and 99
Why it matters for exams: Waqf Board composition and the court's view on the power to appoint carrying the power to cancel is a ready question on administrative law and minority institutions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Waqf Waqf — A permanent dedication of property for a purpose recognised as pious or charitable under Muslim law.
Prima facie Prima facie — On first impression, before a full examination of the dispute.
Division Bench Division Bench — A bench of two or more judges of a High Court.
20 October 2026
The India Meteorological Department's Thiruvananthapuram centre lists heavy rainfall of 7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours as likely at isolated places over Keralam from 19 to 25 October 2026.
The same heavy rainfall band is forecast for Lakshadweep from 22 to 25 October 2026.
Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds of 30-40 km/h are likely at one or two places over Keralam and Lakshadweep on 19 and 20 October 2026.
From 21 to 23 October 2026 the gusty winds in that thunderstorm warning rise to 40-50 km/h.
The warnings are issued by the Meteorological Centre at Thiruvananthapuram, which covers the Kerala and Lakshadweep subdivision.
Heavy rainfall band:
7 cm to 11 cm in 24 hours
Rain warning period for Keralam:
19 to 25 October 2026
Gusty winds, 21 to 23 October:
40-50 km/h
Why it matters for exams: The rainfall band that the department calls heavy, and the distinction between a rain warning and a thunderstorm warning, are standard geography and disaster management questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IMD India Meteorological Department — The central agency that issues India's weather forecasts and warnings.
19 October 2026
The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has published a Kallakkadal advisory issued by INCOIS for the Thiruvananthapuram district coast from Kappil to Pozhiyoor.
Waves of 0.8 to 1.3 metres are forecast there, with the possibility of sea erosion.
The advisory is valid from 2.30 pm on 19 October 2026 to 8.30 am on 20 October 2026.
For the Kanyakumari coast the forecast is waves of 1.2 to 1.4 metres, valid until 8.30 am on 20 October 2026.
The advisory was issued at 1.30 pm on 19 October 2026 and carries the credit line IMD-INCOIS-KSEOC-KSDMA.
It asks fishermen and coastal residents not to launch or land boats while the waves are rising and to stay away from beaches and sea activity until INCOIS withdraws the warning.
Coast stretch:
Kappil to Pozhiyoor, Thiruvananthapuram
Wave height:
0.8 to 1.3 metres
Kanyakumari coast:
1.2 to 1.4 metres
Why it matters for exams: Kallakkadal, the Malayalam word adopted for swell surge warnings, and the agency that issues them are frequently asked in Kerala PSC geography papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kallakkadal Kallakkadal — The Malayalam term used for a sudden rise of sea waves along the coast without local warning signs.
INCOIS Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services — The Hyderabad based centre that issues India's ocean state forecasts and high wave advisories.
KSDMA Kerala State Disaster Management Authority — The state authority that issues and circulates disaster warnings in Kerala.
20 October 2026
A report of the Devaswom Commissioner records that all 400 guest house rooms at the Sabarimala sannidhanam were booked within an hour of online booking opening.
The Devaswom Vigilance wing examined the bookings made for the Thulam month pooja and found irregularities, including rooms taken in bulk by travel agencies and middlemen through loopholes in the booking website.
The inquiry was led by Vigilance SP V. Sunilkumar on the instructions of Travancore Devaswom Board president K. Jayakumar.
Rooms at the sannidhanam can be booked only online.
The Board is considering an OTP system under which a devotee who registers for darshan through the virtual queue receives a one time password on the mobile phone and uses it to book a room.
The Special Commissioner for Sabarimala will submit a report to the High Court on the booking irregularities.
Rooms at the sannidhanam:
400
Time taken to book all rooms:
Within an hour
Why it matters for exams: The Travancore Devaswom Board, its vigilance wing and the High Court appointed Special Commissioner for Sabarimala are a standing Kerala PSC topic on temple administration.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
OTP One Time Password — A short code sent to a phone and usable only once for a single transaction.
TDB Travancore Devaswom Board — The statutory board that administers Sabarimala and other temples of the former Travancore region.
20 October 2026
Devaswom Minister K. Muraleedharan conveyed the government's displeasure over supply shortages and procurement delays to Travancore Devaswom Board president K. Jayakumar ahead of the Mandala Makaravilakku season.
Aravana and appam ran short when the temple opened for the Kanni month pooja in September.
The aravana plant was suspended for renovation without an adequate buffer stock, although the maintenance was known in advance.
The jaggery tender was due to start in May but was initiated only in August, and fresh bids and price negotiations delayed the contract while jaggery prices rose.
The Board will bear the cost of transporting jaggery from Pampa to the sannidhanam this season.
Only seven aravana counters were partly working on Monday, 19 October 2026, and about 50,000 people entered through the virtual queue that day.
After the discussion the Board agreed to speed up measures for an uninterrupted aravana supply through the season.
Aravana counters partly working on 19 October:
Seven
Virtual queue entries that day:
About 50,000
Jaggery tender:
Due in May, started in August
Why it matters for exams: Aravana procurement, the virtual queue and the Mandala Makaravilakku calendar come up in Kerala PSC questions on temple administration and public distribution.
Kerala PSC
In plain words
Aravana Aravana payasam — The rice and jaggery offering sold in sealed tins to pilgrims at Sabarimala.
Mandala Makaravilakku Mandala Makaravilakku season — The main Sabarimala pilgrimage season running from November into January.
19 October 2026
The Muslim Coordination Committee met at Kozhikode on Monday, 19 October 2026, convened by Indian Union Muslim League state president Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal.
The meeting resolved to demand an immediate halt to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
It asked for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
It sought the withdrawal of amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, saying they would undermine the autonomy of voluntary, charitable and religious organisations.
It resolved to place its concerns on the FCRA changes before the Joint Parliamentary Committee.
It also expressed solidarity with protests at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and called for sustained peaceful democratic agitation.
The EK faction of Samastha and Mujahid factions took part; the AP Sunni faction did not attend.
Place and day:
Kozhikode, Monday 19 October 2026
Convener:
Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal
Why it matters for exams: The Special Intensive Revision, the office of the Chief Election Commissioner and the FCRA are a cluster an examiner can ask together on electoral and regulatory law.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SIR Special Intensive Revision — An intensive revision of electoral rolls in which entries are verified afresh.
FCRA Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act — The central law that regulates foreign contributions received by organisations in India.
JPC Joint Parliamentary Committee — A committee of members of both Houses set up to examine a particular matter or bill.
20 October 2026
Justice Harisankar V. Menon set aside a Banking Ombudsman order that had rejected the complaint of a State Bank of India account holder on the finding that she was privy to the transaction.
The petitioner had been told that non chip debit cards would be blocked from April 29, 2019, then received an SMS and a call, shared an OTP to register the State Bank Secure App, and the amount was debited at once.
She reported the fraud to customer care immediately and filed a police complaint, and the police identified one Sandip Bauri from West Bengal as the person who siphoned off the funds.
The court held that her case fell under clause 6(ii) of the RBI Master Circular and not clause 7(i), which covers loss from a customer's negligence in sharing payment credentials.
It followed a 2024 Gauhati High Court Division Bench judgment against which the Supreme Court dismissed a special leave petition on 03.01.2025.
It directed the bank to make good the loss of Rs 3.73 lakhs within 4 weeks.
The case is Remadevi T.L. v. Reserve Bank of India and Ors., W.P.(C) No. 28970 of 2021.
Amount ordered refunded:
Rs 3.73 lakhs
Time given to the bank:
4 weeks
Clause applied:
Clause 6(ii) of the RBI Master Circular
Why it matters for exams: The zero liability clause of the RBI Master Circular on unauthorised electronic transactions is a standard banking awareness question.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
Banking Ombudsman Banking Ombudsman — An authority under the Reserve Bank of India that decides customer complaints against banks.
SLP Special Leave Petition — A petition seeking the Supreme Court's permission to appeal against an order of a lower court.
18 October 2026
Dr Sukhiya Jain, 28, an ENT surgeon at the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences and a native of Uttar Pradesh, fell about 800 feet into a gorge near the Natural Infinity Pool at Vagamon in Idukki district.
He was descending a steep rocky trail towards the pool with four friends when he slipped.
He suffered a severe foot fracture and could not walk.
A team from the Peerumedu Fire and Rescue Services, led by Senior Fire and Rescue Officer Navas with Anand, Rajeesh, Ragesh Lal and Alex Simon, hoisted him out of the gorge.
The team carried him on foot about 2 km to Vagamon, from where he was taken by 108 ambulance to a hospital at Erattupetta.
The Natural Infinity Pool lies about 2 km from Vagamon.
Depth of the fall:
About 800 feet
Distance carried on foot:
About 2 km to Vagamon
Rescue team:
Peerumedu Fire and Rescue Services
Why it matters for exams: Kerala Fire and Rescue Services operations and the geography of the Vagamon highlands in Idukki are both asked in state level papers.
Kerala PSC
Background
The Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) Kerala is a Section-8 Company of the Department of Higher Education, Government of Kerala. It focuses on skilling students and the general community to enhance their employability. ASAP Kerala was instituted in 2012 and transitioned to a company under the Companies Act, 2013, in 2021. Skill Development Centres were established across Kerala in the year after it was instituted. It offers more than 150 contemporary courses in 19 domains. Training is undertaken through 16 Community Skill Parks. It holds dual recognition from NCVET as an awarding body and an assessment agency.
Legal form:
Section-8 Company
Department:
Department of Higher Education
Instituted:
2012
Community Skill Parks:
16
Domains:
19
Why it matters for exams: When Kerala announces skill centres in schools, the state's existing skilling company and its legal form, founding year and Community Skill Parks are the background an examiner tests.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ASAP Additional Skill Acquisition Programme — Kerala's skilling agency for students and the general community.
NCVET National Council for Vocational Education and Training — The national regulator that recognises awarding bodies and assessment agencies.
Background
The Kerala Government Land Assignment Act, enacted in 1960, governs the assignment of revenue land to individuals. Under that Act, 'pattah' land could be used only for agricultural purposes, house construction and beneficial enjoyment of the land by creating access roads and wells. Rule IV of the Land Assignment Rules, which came in 1964, confined the use of such land to agriculture and building houses, and that restriction is what led to the construction ban. It became a live issue after the High Court, considering cases on unauthorised land encroachment in Idukki district, made no-objection certificates mandatory for construction works in the district, which led to a virtual freeze of construction there. A political consensus to amend the 1960 Act soon emerged. The state Assembly passed the Land Assignment amendment unanimously. The amending Act of 2023 allows the government to regularise violations of the conditions on which such land was assigned.
Principal Act:
Kerala Government Land Assignment Act
Year enacted:
1960
Permitted uses under the principal Act:
Agricultural purposes, house construction and beneficial enjoyment of the land
Rules that confined the use:
Rule IV, Land Assignment Rules, 1964
District at the centre of the litigation:
Idukki
Amending Act:
2023
Why it matters for exams: Every announcement of land titles handed over by the Revenue Department rests on this Act, and the permitted uses and the Idukki litigation are the standard background.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Land assignment Assignment of government land — The handing over of government land to a holder under the Land Assignment Act, with conditions on how it may be used.
Background
The India Meteorological Department uses a colour code with its warnings to bring out the impact of the severe weather expected and to signal disaster managers about the course of action to be taken. Green corresponds to no warning, so no action is needed. Yellow corresponds to be watchful and get updated information. Orange means to be alert and be prepared to take action, while red signals to take action. Short to medium range forecasts and warnings are issued at 36 meteorological sub-divisions levels daily four times by the National Weather Forecasting Centre, New Delhi. District and station level forecasts are issued by the state level Meteorological Centres and Regional Meteorological Centres and are updated twice a day. Nowcasts of severe weather up to three hours are issued for all the districts and 1085 cities and towns, updated every three hours. Impact Based Forecast guidelines are finalised in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority.
Orange:
Be alert and be prepared to take action
Red:
Take action
Sub-divisions for short to medium range warnings:
36
Cities and towns covered by nowcasts:
1085
Why it matters for exams: An orange alert over Kerala districts is a statement about what the administration must do, not only about rainfall, and the four-colour scale is asked directly.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Nowcast Very short range forecast — A forecast of severe weather up to three hours ahead, updated every three hours.
Background
Mudiyettu is a ritual dance drama from Kerala based on the mythological tale of a battle between the goddess Kali and the demon Darika. It was inscribed in 2010 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is a community ritual in which the entire village participates, held after the summer crops have been harvested. Performers purify themselves through fasting and prayer, then draw a huge image of the goddess, called kalam, on the temple floor with coloured powders. Mudiyettu is performed annually in Bhagavati Kavus, the temples of the goddess, in villages along the rivers Chalakkudy Puzha, Periyar and Moovattupuzha. Responsibility for its transmission lies with the elders and senior performers, who engage the younger generation as apprentices during the performance.
Inscribed:
2010
UNESCO list:
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Rivers named:
Chalakkudy Puzha, Periyar, Moovattupuzha
Floor drawing:
kalam
Why it matters for exams: Kerala's temple ritual arts are a steady source of questions, and the rivers along which Mudiyettu villages lie link the art to the state's geography.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Kalam Kalam — The large image of the goddess drawn on the temple floor with coloured powders before the performance.