13 October 2026
On 13 October 2026 the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed under Article 32 in Waiz Khan v. State of Uttar Pradesh and Ors., Diary No. 42099/2026.
The bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana gave the petitioner liberty to approach the Allahabad High Court.
The petitioner said Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad personnel entered his house without proper uniform or identification, although no criminal proceedings were pending against him.
The order recorded: no case to entertain the petition made out, dismissed, and the petitioner if so advised may approach the High Court.
Justice Bagchi observed that Articles 32 and 226 overlap in their jurisdiction over breaches of fundamental rights, and that the court of first instance should take cognizance of such violations.
When counsel cited DK Basu v. State of West Bengal, Justice Bagchi said that case treats the High Court as the appropriate forum for a person claiming illegal arrest.
Case:
Waiz Khan v. State of Uttar Pradesh and Ors.
Diary number:
42099/2026
Bench:
CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Justice V Mohana
Forum directed to:
Allahabad High Court
Why it matters for exams: The relationship between Article 32 and Article 226, and the practice of approaching the High Court first, are standard questions on writ jurisdiction.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Article 32 — It lets a person move the Supreme Court directly for enforcement of fundamental rights.
Article 226 — It gives every High Court the power to issue writs, including for fundamental rights.
ATS Anti-Terrorist Squad — A specialised police unit of a State government for terrorism-related investigation.
13 October 2026
On 13 October 2026 the Supreme Court sought the Intelligence Bureau's assessment of the security and law-and-order risks of transferring a convict from Tihar Jail in Delhi to a high-security prison in Punjab.
The case is Jagtar Singh Hawara v. Government of NCT of Delhi and Ors., W.P.(Crl.) No. 403/2024, Diary No. 36064/2024, before Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale.
Hawara is a convict in the 1995 assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
His counsel said the plea is only for a transfer, so that he can meet his elderly and seriously ill mother, and is not a request for release.
The Delhi and Punjab governments opposed the transfer, citing security concerns and a Ministry of Home Affairs advisory on moving high-risk prisoners between States.
The Court said it would decide the plea after receiving the Intelligence Bureau's inputs, and passed no final order.
Case:
Jagtar Singh Hawara v. Government of NCT of Delhi and Ors.
Case number:
W.P.(Crl.) No. 403/2024
Bench:
Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale
Agency asked for inputs:
Intelligence Bureau
Why it matters for exams: Inter-state transfer of prisoners, the role of the Intelligence Bureau and Ministry of Home Affairs advisories are examinable internal-security and governance points.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IB Intelligence Bureau — India's internal intelligence agency, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Writ petition (criminal) — A petition in a constitutional court seeking relief in a matter arising from criminal law or custody.
13 October 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting in New Delhi on 13 October 2026 with Karel Havlíček, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.
The two sides reviewed defence industry cooperation and welcomed the successful setting up of several joint ventures.
They agreed to take the cooperation further through the India-Czech Joint Defence Committee.
The release linked this cooperation to the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.
The ministers also discussed current peace and security issues and agreed that more cooperation is needed to maintain stability in the region.
Havlíček is on a four-day visit to India and will also tour industries in Bengaluru and Mumbai.
Indian minister:
Rajnath Singh
Czech dignitary:
Karel Havlíček
Mechanism agreed on:
India-Czech Joint Defence Committee
Length of visit:
Four days
Why it matters for exams: Bilateral defence mechanisms and the ministers who lead them are standard one-mark material in general studies papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Aatmanirbhar Bharat — The Union government's self-reliance drive, which in defence means building more equipment within India.
Joint venture — A company formed by two or more firms, often from different countries, to run a shared business.
Joint Defence Committee — A standing bilateral body through which two governments plan and review defence cooperation.
13 October 2026
The Ministry of Defence said on 13 October 2026 that the multi-purpose vessel Samarthak will be commissioned into the Indian Navy on 16 October 2026 at the Naval Base in Karwar.
Samarthak is the first of four multi-purpose vessels being inducted into the Navy.
It was built by Larsen and Toubro Ltd under the Make in India initiative, and its integrated combat suite combines indigenous sensors, weapons and electronic systems.
It is designed primarily for maritime surveillance and patrol; it can also undertake low intensity maritime operations, serve as a target deployment and trials platform and act as a mothership for unmanned and autonomous systems.
It can be converted into a limited hospital ship and used for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief as well as salvage operations.
Its crest features an Indian elephant emerging from the waves, standing for strength, intelligence and agility, and the ministry translates its motto as victory is our sole aim.
Vessel:
Samarthak
Commissioning date:
16 October 2026
Place:
Karwar
Builder:
Larsen and Toubro Ltd
Vessels in the class:
4
Why it matters for exams: Ship names, their builders and their commissioning bases are asked almost every year in defence-related questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Commissioning — The formal ceremony that puts a warship into active naval service.
Mothership — A large vessel that carries, launches and recovers smaller craft or unmanned systems.
HADR Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief — Naval operations that carry aid, medical help and rescue teams after a disaster.
12 October 2026
The Supreme Court has held that a victim or complainant in a criminal case has full legal standing, or locus standi, to approach the High Court seeking directions for an expeditious trial.
The ruling in Renuka Jain v. State of NCT of Delhi and Ors. was passed on 24 September by a bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Atul S Chandurkar, and was reported on 12 October 2026.
The Court set aside an order of the Delhi High Court of 6 January, which had dismissed the complainant's petition for a speedy trial as frivolous and imposed costs of ₹10,000 on her, on the reasoning that in a State-prosecuted case the complainant is merely a witness and cannot independently seek directions to expedite proceedings.
The Court held that a victim is a definite stakeholder in the criminal justice system and, like the accused, has a vested right to insist on a speedy trial and a fair trial, the guarantee of a speedy trial under Article 21 not being the exclusive privilege of the accused.
It waived the costs imposed on the petitioner and directed the trial court to conclude the trial within a year.
Case:
Renuka Jain v. State of NCT of Delhi and Ors.
Bench:
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Atul S Chandurkar
Ruling passed:
24 September
Holding:
Victim has locus standi to seek expeditious trial from the High Court
Costs set aside:
₹10,000
Trial to conclude in:
One year
Why it matters for exams: Victim rights and locus standi in criminal procedure are frequently asked in polity and law sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
locus standi — The legal right of a person to bring a particular matter before a court.
Complainant — The person whose complaint sets a criminal case in motion.
12 October 2026
The Supreme Court has directed the University Grants Commission and all regulatory authorities to issue public advisories asking people to verify educational institutions before taking admission.
The direction was given by a bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice NV Anjaria in its order of 9 October 2026 in Ayesha Jain v. Amity University, Noida and Others, and was reported on 12 October 2026.
The Court acted after taking note of a newspaper report, placed before it by Dr RM Sharma, whom it had nominated to assist in the matter, about a fake medical college operating from a dilapidated farmhouse in Mahmoodpur Nagaria village in the Etah district of Uttar Pradesh, which claimed to offer courses such as D Pharma, B Pharma and B Sc Nursing.
The Court recorded that local police had taken action against four persons in connection with the institution, and that an illiterate tea seller had been shown as its chairman.
The Court also directed the Central government to monitor compliance by the regulatory authorities, and recorded that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary had ordered an independent inquiry in addition to the police investigation.
The case originated in a petition by Ayesha Jain against Amity University, Noida, over the handling of a change of her name in the university's records, and the Court later widened its scope to the establishment, regulation and functioning of private universities. The matter is to be heard next on 19 November.
Case:
Ayesha Jain v. Amity University, Noida and Others
Bench:
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice NV Anjaria
Order date:
9 October 2026
Regulator directed:
University Grants Commission and all regulatory authorities
District involved:
Etah, Uttar Pradesh
Next hearing:
19 November
Why it matters for exams: UGC's regulatory role and judicial directions on fake institutions connect education policy with administrative law.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UGC University Grants Commission — The statutory body that coordinates and maintains standards of university education in India.
Public advisory — A formal notice issued by an authority to inform or caution the general public.
14 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India held an Open Market Operation sale of Government of India securities on 13 October 2026.
The aggregate amount notified was ₹25,000 crore and the total amount accepted was ₹25,000 crore.
Five securities were sold: 7.88% GS 2030, 6.10% GS 2031, 7.95% GS 2032, 7.26% GS 2033 and 7.18% GS 2033.
The cut-off yield on 7.18% GS 2033 was 7.3947 per cent, the highest among the securities accepted.
No amount was accepted in 7.10% GS 2034.
Settlement of the auction is on 14 October 2026.
Amount notified:
₹25,000 crore
Amount accepted:
₹25,000 crore
Highest cut-off yield:
7.3947% on 7.18% GS 2033
Settlement:
14 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Open Market Operations are a core instrument of monetary policy and a recurring question on how the central bank drains or adds rupee liquidity.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
OMO Open Market Operation — The central bank's purchase or sale of government securities to adjust rupee liquidity in the system.
G-Sec Government Security — A tradeable debt instrument issued by the central or a state government.
14 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India held an Overnight Variable Rate Reverse Repo auction under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility on 13 October 2026.
The notified amount was ₹1,50,000 crore for a tenor of one day.
Offers received totalled ₹71,580 crore and the entire amount offered was accepted.
The cut-off rate was 5.49 per cent and the weighted average rate was also 5.49 per cent.
Banks therefore parked less than half the notified amount with the central bank.
Notified amount:
₹1,50,000 crore
Amount accepted:
₹71,580 crore
Cut-off rate:
5.49%
Tenor:
1 day
Why it matters for exams: The Liquidity Adjustment Facility, repo and reverse repo are standard banking-awareness and economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
VRRR Variable Rate Reverse Repo — An auction in which banks park surplus funds with the central bank at a rate decided by bidding.
LAF Liquidity Adjustment Facility — The window through which banks borrow from or park funds with the Reserve Bank on a day-to-day basis.
14 October 2026
The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mangrol at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on 12 October 2026.
She is the third ship of the Mahe class of Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft.
The ship was designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi, with over 80 per cent indigenous content.
Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, presided over the commissioning.
Her roles include anti-submarine warfare, underwater surveillance, Low Intensity Maritime Operations and mine warfare related tasks.
She is propelled by three diesel engine driven waterjet units for manoeuvrability in shallow and confined waters.
The ship is named after Mangrol, a coastal town and fishing harbour in the Junagadh district of Gujarat.
Ship:
INS Mangrol
Class:
Mahe class ASW Shallow Water Craft (third ship)
Builder:
Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi
Indigenous content:
Over 80 per cent
Commissioned at:
Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, 12 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Ship names, their classes and their builders are routinely asked in defence current affairs, and Cochin Shipyard is of direct Kerala interest.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ASW Anti-Submarine Warfare — Naval operations to detect, track and destroy enemy submarines.
CSL Cochin Shipyard Limited — The public sector shipyard at Kochi that built India's first indigenous aircraft carrier.
14 October 2026
The India Meteorological Department dedicated its Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services Decision Support System to the nation on 12 October 2026.
The system is a WebGIS based platform that brings cyclone and marine weather information together.
It shows observed and forecast cyclone tracks and intensity with a cone of uncertainty, wind distribution, storm surge warnings and district-wise rainfall warnings.
It also gives rainfall forecasts for river catchments on interactive maps.
The platform is available at dss.imd.gov.in and through the IMD and RSMC New Delhi websites.
It was launched at the bi-annual Pre-Cyclone Exercise Meeting for the October to December post-monsoon season, chaired by IMD Director General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
About 230 participants from more than 30 organisations, including NDMA, NDRF, the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Force and the Indian Coast Guard, took part.
System:
Cyclone Warning and Marine Weather Services Decision Support System
Dedicated on:
12 October 2026
Chaired by:
Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General, IMD
Participants:
About 230 from more than 30 organisations
Why it matters for exams: Disaster management institutions and IMD's cyclone warning role are frequently asked, and Kerala's coast depends on these marine warnings.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IMD India Meteorological Department — The national weather service, which functions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.
RSMC Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre — A centre designated by the World Meteorological Organization; RSMC New Delhi tracks and names cyclones in the north Indian Ocean.
14 October 2026
The ICAR-National Soybean Research Institute, Indore, released preliminary results from a Soybean Harvest Day held on 9 October 2026.
One acre each of the improved varieties NRC 268 and NRC 270 was harvested.
Both varieties gave about 20 quintals per hectare despite adverse weather.
India's average soybean productivity is about 10 to 11 quintals per hectare.
ICAR trials, including those under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Soybean, indicate 15 to 20 quintals per hectare with improved varieties and production practices.
Under favourable conditions the yield can reach about 22 to 25 quintals per hectare.
Dr M. L. Jat, Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, called the results encouraging.
Varieties:
NRC 268 and NRC 270
Trial yield:
About 20 quintals per hectare
National average:
About 10 to 11 quintals per hectare
Institute:
ICAR-National Soybean Research Institute, Indore
Why it matters for exams: New crop varieties and ICAR institutes are standard agriculture questions, and yield comparisons against the national average are easy to set.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
ICAR Indian Council of Agricultural Research — The apex body for coordinating agricultural research and education in India, under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education.
Quintal Unit of mass equal to 100 kilograms — Crop yields in India are commonly reported in quintals per hectare.
14 October 2026
A Supreme Court bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh ordered that further proceedings before the trial court shall remain stayed.
The case is Rahul Gandhi v. State of Maharashtra, SLP (Crl) No. 19559 of 2026.
The complaint was filed by a BJP worker before a Metropolitan Magistrate over remarks made about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Magistrate had issued process under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which punishes defamation.
The Bombay High Court had declined to quash the case by an order of 8 September.
The Supreme Court issued notice returnable in four weeks.
Bench:
Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh
Case:
SLP (Crl) No. 19559 of 2026
Provision:
Section 500, Indian Penal Code
Notice:
Returnable in four weeks
Why it matters for exams: Criminal defamation under Section 500 IPC and the Supreme Court's power to stay proceedings under Article 136 are standard polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SLP Special Leave Petition — A petition under Article 136 of the Constitution asking the Supreme Court for leave to appeal against any judgment or order.