19 October 2026
The Gujarat High Court has quashed an FIR registered against a Surat advocate, saying it was a classic counter-blast by police after the advocate, who had been beaten and seriously injured by policemen, filed a complaint of attempted murder against them.
The court said the FIR against Mehul Boghara, an advocate and social activist, amounted to an abuse of police authority and was an attempt to create leverage against him.
Justice P.M. Raval held that the police case under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 was not supported by the essential ingredients of the offences.
The court held that continuing the proceedings would be an abuse of the process of law.
Judge:
Justice P.M. Raval
Laws invoked in the police case:
IPC, 1860 and SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
Why it matters for exams: The High Court's power to quash an FIR and the SC/ST Act are recurring law topics for UPSC.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
FIR First Information Report — The police record that starts a criminal investigation.
19 October 2026
A show-cause notice, a reply and an encroachment order issued in quick succession preceded the June 21 demolition of the Mohamadi Masjid in Kutch district.
The Gujarat High Court has sought the Kutch Collector's response to a petition stating that the authorities acted before the mosque's managing body had a fair opportunity to challenge the encroachment proceedings.
Justice Niral R. Mehta directed the District Collector, Kutch, to file an affidavit by October 19.
The court listed the case for further consideration on October 22.
The High Court has for now made no observations on the legality of the demolition.
Judge:
Justice Niral R. Mehta
Affidavit due by:
October 19
Next hearing:
October 22
Why it matters for exams: Due process before demolition and a Collector's accountability to a High Court are live governance questions.
UPSC
In plain words
Show-cause notice Show-cause notice — A notice asking a person to explain why an action should not be taken against them.
19 October 2026
An explosion at a chemical plant in Bharuch district of Gujarat killed five workers and injured five others.
The blast occurred at SynZeal Pharmachem in the Saykha GIDC area of Vagra taluka during a hydrogenation process, ripping apart a reactor tank and triggering a leak of methylene dichloride gas.
The Bharuch district administration issued a notice to the company directing it to suspend operations with immediate effect, pending further action.
Officials of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health and the police reached the spot, and the cause of the explosion is being investigated.
Bharuch district lies on the bank of the Narmada, which flows out into the Gulf of Khambhat through the district.
Workers killed:
5
Injured:
5
District:
Bharuch
Unit:
SynZeal Pharmachem, Saykha GIDC
Why it matters for exams: Gujarat's chemical industry belt and industrial safety regulation are asked in geography and governance questions.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
Petrochemical belt Petrochemical belt — A cluster of industries that process crude oil and natural gas derivatives.
19 October 2026
The High Court of Gujarat has issued a press note stating that it has launched a pilot WhatsApp messaging service for direct daily cause-list delivery to advocates.
Along with it the Registry issued notice ITC-2163-2026 on registration and updation of the WhatsApp enabled mobile number by advocates, so that the messages reach the correct number.
The court has separately issued a notice regarding generation of the cause list.
The cause list is the daily list of cases set down for hearing before each court, and advocates have so far had to download it from the court website.
The High Court's Registry at Ahmedabad publishes and manages these notifications, and the service is part of the court's eGujHC digital programme.
Service:
Pilot WhatsApp daily cause-list delivery
Related notice:
ITC-2163-2026
Why it matters for exams: Court digitisation steps and the meaning of a cause list are useful judiciary general awareness points.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
Cause list Cause list — The daily list of cases fixed for hearing before a court.
19 October 2026
The High Court of Gujarat has issued a press note on the inauguration of an in-house developed eFiling module under the eGujHC Project.
The eGujHC project is the High Court's own digital programme, and the court released version 1 of its eGujHC Vision Document on 7 December 2024.
The court runs separate eFiling portals for the High Court and for the district judiciary, along with help documentation and videos for eFiling.
In the same set of notifications the Registry announced a separate cause list for Wednesday under the title of old stayed cases and execution petitions of the district judiciary with effect from 23 September 2026.
The High Court also provides eCertified copies of its orders and judgments, an eGatepass, a virtual traffic court and hybrid hearing facilities.
Project:
eGujHC
Vision Document version 1 released:
7 December 2024
Wednesday special cause list effective from:
23 September 2026
Why it matters for exams: eCourts and High Court-level digital projects are regular governance and technology questions.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
eFiling Electronic filing — Filing case papers in a court through an online portal.
19 October 2026
The High Court of Gujarat has issued a notice regarding the National Lok Adalat scheduled to be held on 12 December 2026.
A Lok Adalat is a forum where cases pending in a court, or disputes at a pre-litigation stage, are settled by compromise, and an award made by it is final.
The High Court lists the Gujarat High Court Legal Services Committee and the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority among its institutions, along with a Mediation Centre and an Arbitration Centre.
These bodies are the machinery through which a National Lok Adalat is organised in the State.
The same notice board of the Registry also carries the notification for the arrangement of a special bench on an office working Saturday on 3 October 2026.
National Lok Adalat date:
12 December 2026
Special bench on office working Saturday:
3 October 2026
Why it matters for exams: Lok Adalats, legal services authorities and the finality of their awards are directly asked in polity papers.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
Lok Adalat Lok Adalat — A people's court that settles disputes by compromise, and whose award is final.
19 October 2026
The National Award for e-Governance 2026 Gold has been conferred on the Space Applications Centre, ISRO, for Best e-Governance Practice or Innovation in Cyber Security.
The Space Applications Centre is a major centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation under the Department of Space, located at Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
The centre works on using space technology for societal benefits and builds communication, navigation and earth observation payloads.
The Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, visited the Space Applications Centre on 22 August 2026 and interacted with senior scientists.
Shri Kunvarjibhai Mohanbhai Bavaliya, Minister for Labour, Skill Development and Employment and Rural Development in the Government of Gujarat, visited the centre on 3 August 2026.
Award:
National Award for e-Governance 2026 Gold
Category:
Best e-Governance Practice or Innovation in Cyber Security
Location:
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Why it matters for exams: ISRO centres and their locations, and national e-governance awards, are standard science and awards questions.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
Payload Payload — The instrument a satellite carries to do its actual job.
Background
The Gujarat High Court, which passed the orders now in the news, came to be established on 1 May 1960 as a result of the bifurcation of the former State of Bombay into the two States of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Justice Sunderlal Trikamlal Desai was its first Chief Justice.
Justice K.T. Desai, Justice J.M. Shelat, Justice N.M. Miabhoy and Justice V.B. Raju were the puisne judges who adorned the bench at its beginning.
The High Court started functioning near Akashwani at Navrangpura in Ahmedabad.
It later shifted to the new building at Sola in Ahmedabad from 16 January 1999.
The website is published and managed by the Registry of the High Court of Gujarat at Ahmedabad.
Date of establishment:
1 May 1960
First Chief Justice:
Justice Sunderlal Trikamlal Desai
Shifted to Sola building:
16 January 1999
Why it matters for exams: Dates of establishment, first Chief Justices and seats of High Courts are directly asked in polity papers.
UPSCSSC
In plain words
Puisne judge Puisne judge — A judge of a High Court other than the Chief Justice.
Background
The official roll of the High Court of Gujarat records the source and date of appointment of each sitting judge.
Justice Niral R. Mehta, who is hearing the Kutch demolition matter, was appointed from the Bar and elevated as a judge of the High Court of Gujarat on 18 October 2021.
Justice Nisha M. Thakore, who set aside the caste certificate cancellation order, was also appointed from the Bar and elevated on 18 October 2021.
Justice Hemant M. Prachchhak and Justice Aniruddha P. Mayee were elevated on the same date.
The roll also records judges appointed from the judicial service, such as Justice S.V. Pinto, who was elevated on 17 March 2023.
The High Court's roll lists each judge's source as either BAR or SERVICE, which reflects the two routes of appointment to a High Court.
Justice Niral R. Mehta elevated:
18 October 2021
Justice Nisha M. Thakore elevated:
18 October 2021
Justice S.V. Pinto elevated:
17 March 2023
Why it matters for exams: The two routes of appointment to a High Court, from the Bar and from the judicial service, are examinable.
UPSC
In plain words
Elevation Elevation to the bench — Appointment of an advocate or a judicial officer as a High Court judge.