23 October 2026
Justice A. Badharudeen dismissed an appeal by the Bureau of Indian Standards in Bureau of Indian Standards v. M/s. Mars Veneers and Boards and Ors., Crl. Appeal No. 1211/2013, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 596.
A Magistrate had acquitted five respondents of offences under Sections 11, 12 and 33 of the BIS Act after officials found a roller bearing a spurious ISI mark at a factory, along with a mark on a wall, but no finished product carrying the mark.
The High Court confirmed the acquittal and held that mere possession of a spurious standard mark is not punishable unless its use is proved.
It noted that the legislature used the word 'used' in Sections 11 and 12, read with the penal provision in Section 33, and did not intend possession by itself to create criminal liability.
Because no manufactured goods bearing the fake mark were detected, seized or produced, the offences were not made out.
Case:
Crl. Appeal No. 1211/2013
Sections involved:
Sections 11, 12 and 33, BIS Act
Citation:
2026 LiveLaw (Ker) 596
Why it matters for exams: Fixes the sections of the BIS Act that punish improper use of the Standard Mark, with a current Kerala High Court ruling.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
BIS Bureau of Indian Standards — India's national standards body, which owns the ISI mark.
23 October 2026
A Division Bench of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Basant Balaji heard C.K. Usman Haji v. Union of India and Ors., WA No. 2186 of 2026 and a connected case.
The appeal arose from a government order dated 16 October 2026 that reconstituted the Kerala State Waqf Board and appointed nine new members, superseding two earlier orders appointing the chairperson and members.
Advocate General K. Jaju Babu told the Court that the notification had been implemented and the new Board had taken office, so the Bench said a stay would not arise.
The Court issued notice before admission, to be served by special messenger on the members of the reconstituted Board, and posted the case for Thursday, 29 October 2026.
The appellants are C.K. Usman Haji, a Board member before the reconstitution, and former Board chairman K.S. Hamza, represented by Senior Advocate S. Sreekumar and Advocate P. Chandrasekhar.
The Bench orally framed the question of whether the Single Bench was right to refer the writ petitions to the Division Bench already hearing four public interest litigations on similar issues.
Government order:
Dated 16 October 2026
New members appointed:
Nine
Next hearing:
29 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: A current Kerala case on the State Waqf Board, with the exact government order date, the number of new members and the next hearing date.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
WA Writ Appeal — An appeal before a Division Bench against the order of a Single Judge in a writ petition.
22 October 2026
The Kerala High Court decided Shaji v. State of Kerala, reported with the neutral citation 2026:KER:78048.
The Court held that a separate sentence under Section 376AB of the Indian Penal Code need not be imposed once punishment has been awarded under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 for the same act.
The ruling addresses the overlap between the general penal law and the special child protection statute when a single act attracts both.
Section 42 of the POCSO Act provides that where an act is an offence under both the POCSO Act and the penal law, the offender is liable to the punishment that is greater in degree.
Neutral citation:
2026:KER:78048
POCSO provision:
Section 6
Penal provision:
Section 376AB IPC
Why it matters for exams: Clarifies how Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Section 376AB IPC interact in sentencing, a recurring question in law papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
POCSO Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 — The special central law dealing with sexual offences against children.
23 October 2026
The Kerala Sports Bill, 2026 would replace the Kerala Sports Council with a Sports Authority of Kerala, presided over by the Sports Minister.
The Sports Minister is O J Janeesh.
The Bill sets fines ranging from ₹5 lakh up to ₹25 lakh, and provides compensation for affected athletes.
The Bill is now unlikely to be tabled in the ongoing session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, which is scheduled to end next Thursday, and it has not yet gone before the Cabinet.
The draft was sent to the Law Department for vetting and was returned last week after a delay of about two months.
The provisions that remove political representatives from the head of the authority have drawn objections from within the Congress and the United Democratic Front, and the Indian Union Muslim League criticised the government for not holding consultations within the front.
Fine range:
₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh
Proposed body:
Sports Authority of Kerala
Presiding authority:
Sports Minister
Why it matters for exams: Names the proposed Sports Authority of Kerala, the body it replaces, the Sports Minister and the ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh fine range.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
UDF United Democratic Front — A political front in Kerala led by the Indian National Congress.
24 October 2026
The Kerala Legislative Assembly's record of published Bills lists 'THE KERALAM MARITIME BOARD (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026' as Bill No. 18 of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly.
The English text was published on 14-10-2026 and the Malayalam text on 12-10-2026.
The Bill appears in the published list alongside Bill No. 19, the SARAL (Simplified & Accelerated Regulatory Approvals and Licensing) Keralam Bill, 2026, and Bill No. 17, the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly is in session in October 2026.
A Bill is published in the Gazette in both Malayalam and English before it is taken up by the House.
Bill number:
Bill No. 18
English text published:
14-10-2026
Malayalam text published:
12-10-2026
Why it matters for exams: Bill numbers and titles of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly are exactly the sort of fact Kerala PSC asks.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Maritime Board Kerala Maritime Board — The State body that administers the non-major ports of Kerala.
24 October 2026
The Kerala Legislative Assembly's record of published Bills lists '2026-ലെ കേരള റദ്ദാക്കലും ഒഴിവാക്കലും ബിൽ' as Bill No. 13 of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly.
It was published on 10-10-2026, and the Assembly's list carries only the Malayalam title for this Bill.
A repealing and amending measure of this kind is used to clear obsolete and spent enactments from the statute book.
The same published list carries Bill No. 15, 'THE KERALAM SENIOR CITIZENS' (CARE AND PROTECTION OF RIGHTS) BILL, 2026', published on 12-10-2026 in English.
The Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly is in session in October 2026.
Bill number:
Bill No. 13
Published on:
10-10-2026
Why it matters for exams: Repealing and removal legislation and its Bill number in the current Kerala Assembly, straight from the Assembly's own record.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Repealing Bill Repealing and amending Bill — A measure that removes enactments which have become obsolete or have served their purpose.
24 October 2026
The Kerala Legislative Assembly's record of published Bills lists 'THE MADRAS HINDU RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026' as Bill No. 4 of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly.
The English text was published on 10-08-2026 and the Malayalam text on 08.10.2026.
The parent Act, the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, is one of the pre-reorganisation enactments that continue to apply in parts of Kerala, chiefly the Malabar region, which was part of the former Madras Presidency.
The same published list carries Bill No. 5, 'THE KERALA COURT FEES AND SUITS VALUATION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2026'.
The Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly is in session in October 2026.
Bill number:
Bill No. 4
English text published:
10-08-2026
Malayalam text published:
08.10.2026
Why it matters for exams: A pre-reorganisation Madras enactment still being amended by the Kerala Assembly, with its Bill number.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
HRCE Act Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act — A law governing the administration of Hindu religious institutions and their endowments.
24 October 2026
The Kerala Legislative Assembly's record of published Bills shows ten Bills for the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly, of which seven carry at least one publication date in October 2026.
They are Bill No. 19, the SARAL (Simplified & Accelerated Regulatory Approvals and Licensing) Keralam Bill, 2026; Bill No. 18, the Keralam Maritime Board (Amendment) Bill, 2026; Bill No. 17, the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2026; Bill No. 15, the Keralam Senior Citizens' (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026; Bill No. 13, the Kerala Repealing and Removal Bill, 2026; Bill No. 5, the Kerala Court Fees and Suits Valuation (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Bill No. 4, the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The latest publication date on the list is 15-10-2026, for the English text of the SARAL Keralam Bill, 2026.
The two remaining Bills on the list, Bill No. 2, the Kerala Appropriation (No. 3) Bill, 2026 and Bill No. 1, the Kerala Finance (No-3) Bill, 2026, were published in June 2026.
The Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly is in session in October 2026.
Bills listed for the Sixteenth Assembly:
Ten
With an October 2026 publication date:
Seven
Latest publication date on the list:
15-10-2026
Why it matters for exams: A single list of the Bill numbers and titles now before the Kerala Legislative Assembly, from the Assembly's own page.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
SARAL Simplified & Accelerated Regulatory Approvals and Licensing — The expansion used in the title of Bill No. 19 of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Background
The Kerala Legislative Assembly lists the Kerala Tolls Act,1976 among its resource mobilisation legislation.
By that Act, Government intended to levy a toll on bridges opened for traffic after January 1, 1976, the cost of construction of which is more than Rs. 15 lakhs.
The levy is thus attached to bridges and to what they cost to build, not to roads in general.
The Assembly's record then notes the change made by the Tolls (Amendment) Act, 1990, tax can be levied only on bridges, the cost of construction of which is Rs. 35 lakhs.
Raising the threshold narrows the class of bridges that can be tolled, so the cheaper bridges fall out of the net.
The same head of legislation carries other State levies, among them The Kerala Tax on Luxuries in Hotels and Lodging Houses Act, 1976 and The Kerala Electricity Surcharge (Levy and Collection) Act,1989.
Act:
Kerala Tolls Act,1976
Structures tolled:
Bridges
Original cost threshold:
more than Rs. 15 lakhs
Threshold after the amendment:
Rs. 35 lakhs
Why it matters for exams: Every new bridge and road project in Kerala raises the question of who may levy a toll and on what, and the 1976 Act with its amended cost threshold is the State-law answer an aspirant is expected to know.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Kerala Legislature publishes a table headed DURATION OF EACH ASSEMBLY, which gives for every Assembly its date of constitution, its date of first meeting, its date of dissolution, and the totals of sessions and sittings.
The First Kerala Legislative Assembly was constituted on 1-4-1957, first met on 27-4-1957 and was dissolved on 31-7-1959, with 7 sessions and 175 sittings in all.
The Second Assembly was constituted on 22-2-1960, first met on 12-3-1960 and was dissolved on 10-9-1964, recording 12 sessions and 300 sittings.
The Third Assembly recorded 7 sessions and 211 sittings; the Fourth, the longest in sittings, recorded 16 sessions and 322 sittings.
The Fifteenth Assembly was constituted on 03-05-2021, first met on 24-05-2021 and was dissolved on 06-05-2026, with 16 sessions and 204 sittings.
The Sixteenth Assembly was constituted on 05-05-2026 and first met on 21-05-2026; its dissolution date and totals are not yet entered in the table.
First Assembly constituted:
1-4-1957
First Assembly first meeting:
27-4-1957
First Assembly sittings:
175
Fifteenth Assembly sittings:
204
Why it matters for exams: Whenever the Kerala Assembly meets for a session, the Legislature's own table of Assembly durations is the reference an examiner draws on, and the dates and sitting counts of the First and Second Assemblies are among the most frequently asked Kerala polity facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
Palakkad is one of the fourteen districts of Kerala and has no coastal line.
The district opens the state to the rest of the country through the Palakkad Gap with a width of 32 to 40 Kms.
The district is one of the main granaries of Kerala and its economy is primarily agricultural. The district is also the land of Palmyrahs.
The present Palakkad district, as an administrative unit, was formed on the first of January 1957, comprising of Palakad, Perinthalmanna, Ponnani, Ottapalam, Alathur and Chittur.
Taluks changed later: when Malappuram district was formed a new taluk was formed namely Mannarkkad, and in 2013, Ottapalam taluk was bifurcated and Pattambi taluk was formed.
At present the Palakkad district consists of 2 revenue divisions, 6 taluks and 157 revenue Villages. There are 7 municipalities, 13 block panchayats and 88 village panchayats in district.
The District headquarters is at Palakkad Town, and the first District Collector of the district was Sri K. C. Sankaranarayanan IAS.
Districts of Kerala:
Palakkad is one of the fourteen
Palakkad Gap width:
32 to 40 Kms
District formed:
The first of January 1957
Taluks at present:
6
Headquarters:
Palakkad Town
Why it matters for exams: The Palakkad Gap governs the district's rainfall and its rail and road link to Tamil Nadu, and the district's panchayat and taluk structure is the ground on which local-body sports and welfare grants to places like Attappadi are decided, so both the geography and the administrative numbers are asked.
Kerala PSCUPSC
Background
The Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) is a multidisciplinary centre of excellence dedicated to research in tropical forests and forestry.
Established in 1975, KFRI reaffirms its vision to be a Centre of Excellence in Tropical Forestry, offering scientific support for informed decision-making in conservation, sustainable utilisation, and the scientific management of natural resources.
KFRI became a constituent institution of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE) in 2002.
The institute is structured into 17 Research Departments grouped under nine Programme Divisions.
It is accredited as a research centre by FRI University Dehradun, University of Calicut, and Cochin University of Science and Technology for PhD programmes.
KFRI also serves as the Secretariat for international networks like TEAKNET, funded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.
Its collections are preserved and displayed in an Arboretum, Bambusetum, Cane and Palmetum, Herbarium, Medicinal Plants Garden, Orchidarium, Soil Museum, Xylarium, Wildlife Museum, and the Teak Museum.
Established:
1975
Constituent institution of:
Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment (KSCSTE)
Research Departments:
17
Programme Divisions:
nine
Why it matters for exams: KFRI's species and pathogen discoveries and its role in Kerala's forest policy keep it in the news, and the facts asked are which council it belongs to, when it was established and how its research is organised.
Kerala PSCUPSC