23 October 2026
Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand decided Pooja Yadav v. State of Rajasthan and Others, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (Raj) 444.
The teacher had been sanctioned only 34 days of maternity leave before her delivery.
She joined a new school in Khairthal-Tijara district on 6 October 2023.
The Court directed 180 days of maternity leave with effect from 1 September 2023 under Rule 103 of the Rajasthan Service Rules, 1951.
It held that Article 21 covers the right to motherhood and every child's right to full development, and that the leave period is not a break in service.
Child care leave taken by her was excluded from the maternity period and credited back to her child care leave account, and she was held entitled to full salary and consequential benefits.
Leave directed:
180 days
Effective from:
1 September 2023
Rule:
Rule 103, Rajasthan Service Rules, 1951
Why it matters for exams: Rule 103 of the Rajasthan Service Rules and the Article 21 reading of motherhood are directly askable.
Kerala PSCUPSC
22 October 2026
Rajasthan recorded a voter turnout of 63 per cent on Thursday, 22 October 2026, in the first phase of its Panchayati Raj elections.
Polling was held in 16 districts to elect members of 16 zila parishads and 104 panchayat samitis.
Jhalawar recorded 69.16% polling, followed by Jaipur at 68.29%.
A total of 85,07,306 voters were eligible; each polling station used two EVMs, one for each tier.
Polling for sarpanch and ward panch posts is by ballot paper; counting for zila parishad and panchayat samiti members is on November 20.
Turnout:
63%
Zila parishads / panchayat samitis:
16 / 104
Highest district:
Jhalawar, 69.16%
Why it matters for exams: Panchayati Raj elections and the three-tier structure are standard polity questions across exams.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Panchayat samiti Panchayat samiti — The intermediate, block-level tier of Panchayati Raj in Rajasthan.
16 October 2026
A Supreme Court Bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Sheel Nagu granted bail on 16 October 2026 to Mahesh Chandra Joshi and Mukesh Pathak in a corruption case over contracts worth Rs 979.45 crore under Rajasthan's Jal Jeevan Mission.
The prosecution case is that forged documents were used to secure the contracts.
In its October 16 order the Bench said prolonged pre-trial detention cannot be permitted to degenerate into punishment without trial, citing Article 21.
It noted 22 accused, three charge sheets and 124 prosecution witnesses, with charges not yet framed.
The appeals challenged the Rajasthan High Court's August 13 verdict refusing regular bail.
Bench:
Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu
Contracts:
Rs 979.45 crore
Order date:
October 16, 2026
Why it matters for exams: Bail jurisprudence under Article 21 and the Jal Jeevan Mission are both common in polity and governance papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Jal Jeevan Mission Jal Jeevan Mission — The Union programme to provide tap water connections to rural households.
23 October 2026
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) has refinanced about ₹50,000 crore of debt at its Rajasthan refinery, cutting borrowing costs by around 105 basis points.
Chairman and Managing Director Vikas Kaushal said the company targets annual interest savings of about ₹1,000 crore through a broader restructuring.
The refinancing, effective October 3, is expected to save ₹470 crore to ₹550 crore a year.
The 9 million tonne a year refinery was built at a cost of ₹79,459 crore, with HPCL holding 74 per cent and the Government of Rajasthan 26 per cent.
The joint venture is HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL); lenders include NaBFID and IIFCL, and its facilities are at Pachpadra in Balotra district.
Debt refinanced:
₹50,000 crore
Capacity:
9 million tonne a year
Equity:
HPCL 74 per cent, Rajasthan 26 per cent
Why it matters for exams: The Pachpadra refinery, its joint-venture shares and infrastructure lenders such as NaBFID are asked in economy and State GK papers.
UPSCSSCBank
In plain words
NaBFID National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development — India's statutory development finance institution for infrastructure.
Basis point Basis point — One-hundredth of a percentage point.
23 October 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to former Vice President of India Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on his birth anniversary.
Rajnath Singh called Shekhawat's life an inspiring saga of struggle, public service and commitment to ethical values.
He said Shekhawat's contributions to the development of the country, particularly Rajasthan, will always be remembered.
Amit Shah described Shekhawat as a skilled organiser who, as Chief Minister of Rajasthan, worked to implement public welfare measures.
Person:
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Offices:
Vice President of India; Chief Minister of Rajasthan
Why it matters for exams: Former Vice Presidents and former Chief Ministers of States are standard personality questions.
Kerala PSCSSC
Background
Rajasthan's capital is the frame for the State's current courts and government news, and the walled city itself is a World Heritage property called Jaipur City, Rajasthan.
It was founded in 1727 by Sawai Jai Singh II, who ruled from 1700 to 1743, and was planned as a hub of trade and commerce.
Unlike many earlier cities in the region, it was built on flat plains on a grid plan drawn from Vastu Shastra.
Most of its core infrastructure was completed between 1727 and 1731.
Large squares called chaupars sit at the intersections of the main streets, which were designed as markets.
The property is inscribed under criteria (ii), (iv) and (vi), and its landmarks include the Govind Dev temple, the City Palace, Jantar Mantar and Hawa Mahal.
Founded:
1727
Founder:
Sawai Jai Singh II
Criteria:
(ii)(iv)(vi)
Why it matters for exams: Jaipur's founding year, founder and World Heritage criteria are frequently asked facts.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
Rajasthan's forest administration, whose department also runs the State's elephant and wildlife regulation now before its courts, manages this World Heritage property near Bharatpur.
Keoladeo National Park was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1985 under criterion (x) for its importance as a wetland for migratory waterfowl.
It covers 2,873 hectares and lies beside the city of Bharatpur.
The site is a former duck-hunting reserve of the Maharajas that developed in a natural depression wetland, and it was declared a national park in 1982.
It is a wintering ground for Palaearctic migratory waterfowl and at inscription was the only known wintering site for the central population of the Critically Endangered Siberian Crane.
Its wetlands depend on monsoon rains and water pumped from the Ajan Bandh reservoir, and the park is enclosed by a two-metre boundary wall and managed by the Rajasthan Forest Department.
Inscribed:
1985
Area:
2,873 ha
Criterion:
(x)
National park since:
1982
Why it matters for exams: Keoladeo's inscription year, criterion, area and Siberian Crane link are standard environment questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
Background
Background to the Panchayati Raj elections now under way in Rajasthan, whose first phase was held on 22 October.
After the delimitation and reorganisation of Panchayati Raj institutions, Rajasthan has 41 zila parishads, 457 panchayat samitis and 14,403 gram panchayats.
The zila parishad is the district tier, the panchayat samiti the intermediate tier, and the gram panchayat the village tier.
The elections are conducted by the State Election Commission; voters elect zila parishad and panchayat samiti members directly, along with panches and sarpanches in the gram panchayats.
Zila parishads:
41
Panchayat samitis:
457
Gram panchayats:
14,403
Why it matters for exams: The three-tier Panchayati Raj structure and State-wise counts of local bodies are standard polity and State GK questions.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC
In plain words
Zila parishad Zila parishad — The district-level tier of Panchayati Raj.
Background
Background to the tributes paid on 23 October 2026 by Union Ministers to former Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat on his birth anniversary.
Shekhawat was born on October 23, 1923, in a village in Sikar district of Rajasthan.
He served as Chief Minister of Rajasthan three times: from 1977 to 1980, 1990 to 1992 and 1993 to 1998.
He was elected to the Rajasthan Assembly a record 10 times between 1952 and 2002.
He served as Vice-President of India from August 2002 to July 21, 2007, and later lost the Presidential election to Pratibha Patil.
Born:
October 23, 1923, Sikar district
Vice-President:
August 2002 to July 21, 2007
Chief Minister terms:
1977-80, 1990-92, 1993-98
Why it matters for exams: Vice-Presidents of India and long-serving Chief Ministers are standard personality questions in every exam.
Kerala PSCUPSCSSC