27 October 2026
The Supreme Court has held that bleaching, dyeing and processing of handloom and powerloom fabrics by a job worker is not the 'manufacture' of textiles, so no textile cess is payable on it under Section 5A of the Textiles Committee Act, 1963. The case was The Assessing Officer, Textiles Committee v. M/s. Premium Suiting Pvt. Ltd. A Bench of Justice S.V.N. Bhatti and Justice N.V. Anjaria dismissed the Revenue's appeal, with Justice Anjaria writing the judgment. The Textiles Committee had issued a show-cause notice in 2001 demanding Rs 2,68,293 as textile cess from the company, which processes 100 per cent man-made fabrics on a job-work basis. The Textiles Committee Cess Appellate Tribunal upheld the demand, but the Allahabad High Court quashed it. The Court held that 'manufacture' is not defined in the Textiles Committee Act, that the definition in Section 2(f) of the Central Excise Act, 1944 cannot be borrowed for it, and that the word must therefore be read in its common parlance meaning. Relying on Union of India v. R.C. Jain, it said a definition in one Act cannot be imported into another Act that does not define the term. The company made no new textile; it only processed fabric already made by handloom and powerloom units, acting as an extended arm of those manufacturers.
Act and section:
Section 5A, Textiles Committee Act, 1963
Cess demanded:
Rs 2,68,293
High Court that quashed the demand:
Allahabad High Court
Why it matters for exams: The Textiles Committee Act, 1963 and the rule that a definition from one statute cannot be read into another are standard Polity and Economy questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Job work — Processing done on another manufacturer's goods for a fee, without the processor owning the goods.
Cess — A tax levied for a specific purpose, over and above regular taxes.
27 October 2026
The Supreme Court has held that a trial court must consider a witness's full deposition, including the cross-examination, before summoning an additional accused under Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, now Section 358 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The case was Neelam Yadav v. State of U.P. and a Bench of Justice Manoj Misra and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh decided it. The appellant had been arraigned as an additional accused in a murder case on the strength of the examination-in-chief of one prosecution witness, while two other witnesses turned hostile. The Court said that at this stage the trial court does not weigh evidence on probabilities, but if the cross-examination demolishes the chief statement on which the summons rests, the court cannot overlook it. The orders of the trial court and the High Court were set aside, and the trial court was left free to consider the request afresh in accordance with law.
Provision:
Section 319 CrPC / Section 358 BNSS
Case:
Neelam Yadav v. State of U.P.
Citation:
2026 LiveLaw (SC) 1090
Why it matters for exams: Section 319 CrPC and its successor Section 358 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita are frequently asked in law and polity papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Hostile witness — A witness whose evidence in court goes against the party that called them.
27 October 2026
A Bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta has reserved its order in Kishan Chand Jain v. Ethics and Medical Registration Board, a writ petition on the pricing of medicines. The Court asked the Centre why most medicines are kept outside the stricter price control regime of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO), and why retail prices far exceed procurement prices. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati said there is no legal bar on bringing all medicines under control but the government has chosen a calibrated approach built on the four objectives of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, 2012. Scheduled medicines are subject to DPCO ceiling prices; makers of non-scheduled medicines fix the initial maximum retail price themselves and face limits only on later increases. The Centre told the Court that scheduled medicines account for 35 per cent of volume and 18 per cent of value, while the petitioner said non-scheduled medicines are about 83 per cent of the market by value. Under Paragraph 19 of the DPCO the government may intervene in extraordinary circumstances in the public interest; it has done so for 106 non-scheduled diabetes and cardiovascular formulations in 2014, for coronary stents and knee implants in 2017, and for trade margins on 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines in 2019. All parties may file written submissions within two weeks.
Order in question:
Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013
Scheduled medicines' share:
35 per cent of volume, 18 per cent of value
Provision for extraordinary intervention:
Paragraph 19 of the DPCO
Why it matters for exams: The Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, 2012 are standard Economy and Health questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
DPCO Drugs (Prices Control) Order — The order under which the Centre fixes ceiling prices of scheduled medicines.
Scheduled medicine — A medicine listed in the DPCO's schedule, whose ceiling price the government fixes.
27 October 2026
A Bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe said it is inclined to lay down guiding principles, based on constitutional principles, for compulsory rural service by medical students across the country. The case, Ashish Redu v. Government of Karnataka, challenges the Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012 and the Rules of 2015, which require one year of compulsory public rural service before a no-objection certificate is issued, making a candidate eligible for permanent registration with the Karnataka Medical Council. A notification of 28 July 2023 extended the requirement to candidates on private seats in private and deemed universities. Justice Narasimha described a policy deficit because the Union's stand was unclear, and said the Court's suggestion is not a mandate: the question is whether rural service is a necessary principle for national health, while how to implement it, by bond or by regulation, is separate. He linked the right to health to the State's obligation under Article 21. Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran is assisting the Court as amicus curiae. The Court referred to its 2018 decision in Association of Medical Super Speciality Aspirants and Residents v. Union of India, which had suggested a uniform policy, and listed the matter for the following week, asking the Union to clarify whether it intends to frame a policy and whom it would consult.
Law challenged:
Karnataka Compulsory Service Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, 2012
Service required:
One year of compulsory public rural service
Amicus curiae:
Senior Advocate Raju Ramachandran
Why it matters for exams: Article 21 and the right to health, and the fact that health is a State subject, are standard Polity questions, and the Karnataka compulsory service law is the named statute here.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Amicus curiae — A lawyer appointed to assist the court, not to represent a party.
27 October 2026
The Reserve Bank of India held the 36th Conference of State Finance Secretaries on the theme 'Role of Quality of Expenditure, Effective Cash and Prudent Debt Management in Enhancing States' Fiscal Sustainability'. Finance secretaries from 27 states and three Union Territories attended, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, the Controller General of Accounts and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said states should improve the quality of their spending to support long-term fiscal health and adopt prudent borrowing strategies and efficient cash management. He asked states to onboard the Unified Lending Interface (ULI), to use programmable central bank digital currency for direct benefit transfers, and to make effective use of the State Level Bankers' Committee forum. The conference discussed market borrowings by states, short-term financial accommodation from the Reserve Bank, and states' adoption of the Benchmark Issuance Strategy. The Governor released a 'Compendium on Cash and Debt Management for State Governments'.
Edition:
36th Conference of State Finance Secretaries
Participants:
Finance secretaries of 27 states and 3 Union Territories
Publication released:
Compendium on Cash and Debt Management for State Governments
Why it matters for exams: The Unified Lending Interface, the State Level Bankers' Committee and the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General are regular Economy and Polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCBank
In plain words
ULI Unified Lending Interface — A Reserve Bank platform that pools digital data to speed up credit decisions.
CBDC Central Bank Digital Currency — Legal tender in digital form issued by the central bank; India calls it the digital rupee.
27 October 2026
The Shilp Samagam Mela 2026 is being held at Farm Gate, Khanapara in Guwahati from 21 to 28 October 2026 by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. It is the second edition of the Shilp Samagam Series for the financial year 2026-27, after the Mysuru edition. Seventy-five artisans, 31 of them women, are showing about 40 varieties of handloom and handicraft products, including artisans from the North-Eastern States. The fair is linked to the three national corporations under the ministry - the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation, the National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation and the National Backward Classes Finance and Development Corporation - and serves artisans from Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Safai Mitras and Denotified Tribes. It promotes BHARAT-TULIP, the Traditional Artisans' Upliftment Livelihood Programme, which supports artisan marketing through physical outlets and e-commerce. A dedicated pavilion carries information on the ministry's welfare and financial assistance schemes, and regional music and dance performances are held daily and livestreamed.
Venue:
Farm Gate, Khanapara, Guwahati
Artisans:
75, of whom 31 are women
Programme promoted:
BHARAT-TULIP
Why it matters for exams: BHARAT-TULIP and the three national finance and development corporations under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment are standard scheme questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
BHARAT-TULIP Traditional Artisans' Upliftment Livelihood Programme — A Social Justice Ministry programme that markets artisan products through outlets and e-commerce.
24 October 2026
India closed its campaign at the Asian Para Games in Japan with a record haul of 114 medals - 30 gold, 35 silver and 49 bronze. The Games were hosted by Aichi-Nagoya, and the Indian contingent marched at the closing ceremony on 24 October 2026. The next edition of the Asian Para Games is to be held in Doha in 2030. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the performance an extraordinary achievement by India's para-athletes and congratulated every member of the contingent.
Total medals:
114
Breakdown:
30 gold, 35 silver, 49 bronze
Host:
Aichi-Nagoya, Japan
Why it matters for exams: The host city of the Asian Para Games, India's record medal count and the next host city are typical sports general-knowledge questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
Asian Para Games — The continental multi-sport event for para-athletes, held after each Asian Games.
27 October 2026
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched the Nasha Mukt Yuva, Viksit Bharat Quiz under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. The quiz runs on the MY Bharat portal from 26 October to 25 November 2026 and is open to all citizens. It has 20 multiple-choice questions to be answered within 10 minutes, and participants who submit receive a participation certificate and can then see the correct answers. The quiz is meant to spread awareness of the harms of substance use and to involve young people in building a drug-free India. The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan was launched on 15 August 2020 in 272 vulnerable districts and now covers all districts; the ministry says it has reached more than 35 crore people, including 13 crore youth and 10 crore women, and that the quiz comes as the campaign enters its seventh year.
Quiz window:
26 October to 25 November 2026
Format:
20 multiple-choice questions in 10 minutes
Campaign reach claimed:
More than 35 crore people
Why it matters for exams: The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, its ministry, its launch year and the MY Bharat portal are standard scheme questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
NMBA Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan — India's national campaign against substance use, run by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
27 October 2026
Hearing Shaheen Malik v. Union of India, a Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana said the existing guidelines on the sale of acid have not achieved their purpose, since attacks are still rising, and that this is reason to revisit them. The Court said guidelines alone are not enough and that the accountability of enforcing officers is the key question. It directed the Centre to identify the purposes for which retail sale of acid was originally permitted and to constitute an expert team to examine whether substitutes are now available. A survivor-centric rehabilitation framework filed by an intervening organisation was directed to be sent to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) for examination, with NALSA and the Union government to invite suggestions from all stakeholders, including survivors. The Court noted that although law and order is a State subject, the Union must ensure its guidelines are implemented by the States. It also sought data on whether acid attacks have increased over time. The matter will be heard again in two weeks.
Case:
Shaheen Malik v. Union of India
Body to examine the rehabilitation framework:
National Legal Services Authority (NALSA)
Next hearing:
After two weeks
Why it matters for exams: The National Legal Services Authority and the division of law and order as a State subject are standard Polity questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NALSA National Legal Services Authority — The apex body for free legal services and Lok Adalats in India.
Background
The Supreme Court has just decided a dispute over the textile cess this body collects, which makes its mandate worth knowing. The Textiles Committee was created by the Textiles Committee Act, 1963 (Act 41 of 1963). Parliament passed the Act and the President assented on 3 December 1963, and the Committee began working on 22 August 1964. It functions under the Ministry of Textiles and has its head office in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Its main task is to ensure the quality of textiles and textile machinery, both for domestic use and for export. Under Section 4 of the Act its duties include promoting scientific, technological and economic research, setting standard specifications for textiles, textile machinery and packing materials, running testing laboratories, providing training in quality control, inspecting textiles and machinery, promoting textile exports, collecting statistics and advising the Central Government on textile matters.
Governing Act:
Textiles Committee Act, 1963 (Act 41 of 1963)
Began working:
22 August 1964
Head office:
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Why it matters for exams: The Textiles Committee Act, 1963, the Committee's ministry and its Mumbai head office are the kind of institutional facts asked in both Polity and Economy papers.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) did not begin with a law of its own. SEBI was constituted as a non-statutory body on April 12, 1988 through a resolution of the Government of India. It was established as a statutory body in the year 1992, and the provisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992) came into force on January 30, 1992. The preamble of SEBI describes its basic functions as protecting the interests of investors in securities and promoting the development of, and regulating, the securities market. SEBI also lists the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) among the institutions in its own structure.
First constituted as:
A non-statutory body, by a resolution of the Government of India, on April 12, 1988
Statutory under:
Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992)
Act came into force:
January 30, 1992
Why it matters for exams: The durable facts are the two stages: a non-statutory body created by a resolution of the Government of India, and then a statutory body under the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, with a preamble duty to protect the interests of investors in securities.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSCBank
In plain words
SEBI Securities and Exchange Board of India — The regulator of the securities market in India.
SAT Securities Appellate Tribunal — A tribunal listed by SEBI in its own institutional structure.
Non-statutory body A body with no Act of Parliament behind it — It exists by an executive decision and not by a law.