Sunday, Oct 18

Daily Current Affairs: 18 October 2026

Daily current affairs for 18 October 2026 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.

Editorial note for exam revision Last updated: 18 October 2026. This briefing is structured for current affairs revision, with key updates and related coverage links to help readers connect recurring topics across days.

Today at a glance

Top current affairs to revise

  1. International Monetary Fund finds AI reduces job demand in exposed Asian occupations by almost 10%
  2. APEDA Facilitates India's First Organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder Export to Bulgaria
  3. Government to replace 1957 mining law with new comprehensive legislation
  4. FSSAI advisory mandates temperature-controlled transport of perishable foods like khoa, paneer, meat and fish
  5. Union law ministry notifies 2026 rules for adjudicating court-fee penalty violations in Union territories
  6. CISF to convert eight territorial sectors into industry-specific functional sectors effective November 1, 2026

Headlines by topic

Topic-wise current affairs headlines

All topic pages
Economy, Banking and Finance2 headlines
  1. International Monetary Fund finds AI reduces job demand in exposed Asian occupations by almost 10%
  2. APEDA Facilitates India's First Organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder Export to Bulgaria
Open Economy & Banking topic page
Government Schemes and Policy7 headlines
  1. Government to replace 1957 mining law with new comprehensive legislation
  2. FSSAI advisory mandates temperature-controlled transport of perishable foods like khoa, paneer, meat and fish
  3. Union law ministry notifies 2026 rules for adjudicating court-fee penalty violations in Union territories
  4. CISF to convert eight territorial sectors into industry-specific functional sectors effective November 1, 2026
  5. Supreme Court says Sahyog Portal can serve as foundation for national database to detect and remove child sexual exploitation material
  6. Go-Delhi Foundation cleared by Delhi Cabinet with ₹50 crore corpus for startups and young innovators
  7. Maharashtra launches first Annapurti Grain ATM in Nashik for round-the-clock foodgrain access
Open Schemes & Policy topic page
International, Defence and Summits2 headlines
  1. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to lead India at 25th SCO Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe
  2. CRPF moves to bring back Lance Naik and Naik ranks nearly three decades after their 1997 abolition
Open International & Defence topic page
Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment2 headlines
  1. ISRO successfully conducts CM-SM separation tests for Gaganyaan mission
  2. IISER Thiruvananthapuram team creates compound that releases hydrogen and methane on heating
Open Science & Environment topic page
Sports1 headline
  1. Asian Para Games 2026 open in Aichi-Nagoya as India targets 100 medals with 168 athletes
Open Sports topic page
Miscellaneous Current Affairs3 headlines
  1. CJI Surya Kant inaugurates Ladakh Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court at Leh, bringing courts closer to litigants
  2. Allahabad High Court holds transgender woman outside 'woman' definition in BNS Section 69 while granting bail
  3. Indian Railways launches direct daily train connecting Sabarmati in Gujarat with Katra for Vaishno Devi pilgrims
Open Miscellaneous topic page
Jump to current affairs headlines
  1. International Monetary Fund finds AI reduces job demand in exposed Asian occupations by almost 10%
  2. APEDA Facilitates India's First Organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder Export to Bulgaria
  3. Government to replace 1957 mining law with new comprehensive legislation
  4. FSSAI advisory mandates temperature-controlled transport of perishable foods like khoa, paneer, meat and fish
  5. Union law ministry notifies 2026 rules for adjudicating court-fee penalty violations in Union territories
  6. CISF to convert eight territorial sectors into industry-specific functional sectors effective November 1, 2026
  7. Supreme Court says Sahyog Portal can serve as foundation for national database to detect and remove child sexual exploitation material
  8. Go-Delhi Foundation cleared by Delhi Cabinet with ₹50 crore corpus for startups and young innovators
  9. Maharashtra launches first Annapurti Grain ATM in Nashik for round-the-clock foodgrain access
  10. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to lead India at 25th SCO Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe
  11. CRPF moves to bring back Lance Naik and Naik ranks nearly three decades after their 1997 abolition
  12. ISRO successfully conducts CM-SM separation tests for Gaganyaan mission
  13. IISER Thiruvananthapuram team creates compound that releases hydrogen and methane on heating
  14. Asian Para Games 2026 open in Aichi-Nagoya as India targets 100 medals with 168 athletes
  15. CJI Surya Kant inaugurates Ladakh Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court at Leh, bringing courts closer to litigants
  16. Allahabad High Court holds transgender woman outside 'woman' definition in BNS Section 69 while granting bail
  17. Indian Railways launches direct daily train connecting Sabarmati in Gujarat with Katra for Vaishno Devi pilgrims
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Jump to current affairs

Headlines 18 October 2026
  1. International Monetary Fund finds AI reduces job demand in exposed Asian occupations by almost 10%
  2. APEDA Facilitates India's First Organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder Export to Bulgaria
  3. Government to replace 1957 mining law with new comprehensive legislation
  4. FSSAI advisory mandates temperature-controlled transport of perishable foods like khoa, paneer, meat and fish
  5. Union law ministry notifies 2026 rules for adjudicating court-fee penalty violations in Union territories
  6. CISF to convert eight territorial sectors into industry-specific functional sectors effective November 1, 2026
  7. Supreme Court says Sahyog Portal can serve as foundation for national database to detect and remove child sexual exploitation material
  8. Go-Delhi Foundation cleared by Delhi Cabinet with ₹50 crore corpus for startups and young innovators
  9. Maharashtra launches first Annapurti Grain ATM in Nashik for round-the-clock foodgrain access
  10. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to lead India at 25th SCO Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe
  11. CRPF moves to bring back Lance Naik and Naik ranks nearly three decades after their 1997 abolition
  12. ISRO successfully conducts CM-SM separation tests for Gaganyaan mission
  13. IISER Thiruvananthapuram team creates compound that releases hydrogen and methane on heating
  14. Asian Para Games 2026 open in Aichi-Nagoya as India targets 100 medals with 168 athletes
  15. CJI Surya Kant inaugurates Ladakh Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court at Leh, bringing courts closer to litigants
  16. Allahabad High Court holds transgender woman outside 'woman' definition in BNS Section 69 while granting bail
  17. Indian Railways launches direct daily train connecting Sabarmati in Gujarat with Katra for Vaishno Devi pilgrims
Topic

Economy, Banking and Finance

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International Monetary Fund finds AI reduces job demand in exposed Asian occupations by almost 10%

Key Updates:

  • The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) October 2026 Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific found employer demand fell by nearly 10% in occupations more exposed to artificial intelligence (AI) since ChatGPT's launch in November 2022.
  • The IMF report is based on approximately 40 million online job postings across 19 Asian economies.
  • The decline in demand for workers in AI-exposed occupations has stabilized, while new roles requiring specialized AI skills like prompt engineering and AI agent development are emerging.
  • Around 6% of firms in Asia explicitly seek AI skills in their job postings, and businesses adopting AI experience stronger labor demand growth than those that have not.
  • Emerging economies like India may initially be less exposed to AI due to a large workforce in agriculture, but AI could pose a long-term challenge for transitioning workers into higher-productivity sectors.
  • The report emphasizes that education reform, reskilling programs, digital infrastructure, and stronger labor-market institutions are essential responses to AI disruption.

Connects with 1 related update for revision context.

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APEDA Facilitates India's First Organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder Export to Bulgaria

Key Updates:

  • India exported its first consignment of organic Palmyra Jaggery Powder to Bulgaria, flagged off on October 15 from Gobichettipalayam in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, to Varna, Bulgaria.
  • The 1.755-tonne consignment was facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • The product is certified under India's National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) and European Union organic standards, and will be shipped by sea through Chennai Port.
  • The shipment was manufactured and exported by Wellbeing Foods, Erode, in collaboration with Chetty Exports Private Limited, Chennai, and will be imported and distributed in Bulgaria by Sow Life Ltd.
  • The initiative covers 137 acres under organic cultivation, with price realisation approximately 15-22 per cent higher for farmers and 17 per cent higher for the manufacturer compared with the domestic market.
  • APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev flagged off the consignment; APEDA Secretary Saswati Bose and other stakeholders were also present.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

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Topic

Government Schemes and Policy

View all Schemes & Policy

Government to replace 1957 mining law with new comprehensive legislation

Key Updates:

  • The Centre plans to overhaul the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) into a comprehensive new mining law to incorporate ease of living and ease of doing business reforms.
  • An inter-ministerial panel chaired by the mines additional secretary will draft the new bill, reviewing the MMDR Act in its entirety and examining international best practices.
  • The panel will simplify the law's language, align it with related statutes and constitutional requirements, and suggest structural and substantive reforms to enhance clarity, enforceability and efficiency.
  • The committee will consult stakeholders, including state governments, before preparing the draft bill.
  • The MMDR Act, 1957 is the main central law governing mines and minerals; it distinguishes major minerals (regulated by the Centre) from minor minerals (regulated by states), with states granting mineral concessions while the Centre fixes royalty rates collected by states.

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FSSAI advisory mandates temperature-controlled transport of perishable foods like khoa, paneer, meat and fish

Key Updates:

  • Food regulator FSSAI issued an advisory directing food business operators (FBOs) to handle, store and transport perishable foods such as khoa, paneer, meat and fish under controlled temperature conditions throughout the supply chain.
  • The advisory was issued under Schedule 4 of the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011, and FBOs must maintain prescribed temperatures from procurement to delivery to the end consumer.
  • FSSAI directed FBOs to use clean, covered and hygienic vehicles, food-grade packaging, and to protect products from dust, moisture, pests, damage and cross-contamination, while maintaining records and traceability of consignments.
  • State food safety commissioners, Indian Railways and FSSAI Regional Directors have been asked to ensure strict vigilance, with powers to seize and destroy non-compliant food items.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

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Union law ministry notifies 2026 rules for adjudicating court-fee penalty violations in Union territories

Key Updates:

  • The Union law ministry notified the Union Territories Court Fees (Adjudication of Penalties and Appeal) Rules, 2026, issued on Saturday, to handle violations related to court fees and stamp rules in Union territories.
  • The rules operationalise sections 34A and 34B of the Court Fees Act, 1870, added through amendments under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026.
  • The amended Jan Vishwas law replaced criminal punishment with financial penalties for minor, non-fraudulent violations of stamp-sale rules under the Court Fees Act.
  • Revenue officers, licensed stamp vendors and members of the public can report violations to designated adjudicating officers empowered to investigate and levy penalties.
  • The rules prescribe uniform forms for complaints, show-cause notices and appeals, require a show-cause notice and reasonable opportunity for alleged violators, and lay down stringent timeframes for notice issuance, adjudication and appeal disposal.
  • In determining penalties, officers will consider factors such as public hardship, repeated offences and unfair financial gains, and aggrieved parties can appeal penalty orders before a designated appellate authority.
  • A typical violation under the Court Fees Act involves failing to properly pay, compute or handle mandatory court-fee stamps or document valuations.

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CISF to convert eight territorial sectors into industry-specific functional sectors effective November 1, 2026

Key Updates:

  • The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will transition from a region-specific administrative and operational control structure to a purely functional one from November 1, 2026, with eight of its 11 territorial sectors reorganised into functional sectors.
  • The National Capital Region (New Delhi) will become the Govt Buildings, Museums & Monuments and Mass Rapid Transit System (GBMM & MRTS) sector, New Delhi.
  • The North sector, New Delhi will be reorganised as Power-I sector, Delhi, and the North Eastern-II sector, Kolkata as Power-II sector, Kolkata.
  • The Eastern sector, Ranchi will be rechristened as Coal Sector, Ranchi, and the Central sector will become the dedicated Steel sector based at Bhilai.
  • The North Eastern sector at Guwahati has been transformed into the Petroleum and Natural Gas sector, Guwahati.
  • The Western Sector (Mumbai) and South Sector (Chennai) have been transformed into the West Coast Port Sector and the East Coast Port Sector respectively.
  • The Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space sector (Bengaluru), Airport-I sector (New Delhi) and Airport-II sector (Bengaluru) will continue under their existing functional arrangements.
  • The revised structure was approved by CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan with the concurrence of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
  • CISF has progressively adopted a functional approach in selected sectors, including aviation, over the past 25 years.

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Supreme Court says Sahyog Portal can serve as foundation for national database to detect and remove child sexual exploitation material

Key Updates:

  • On October 15, 2026, a Supreme Court bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran said the Union government's Sahyog Portal could provide the foundation for a national Hash & URL List Database to detect and remove child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) across online platforms.
  • The proposed database would contain verified digital fingerprints (hashes) and URLs of CSEAM, with each entry verified by at least three trained human analysts, and would store only digital identifiers and URLs, not the material itself.
  • The court directed the Union government to frame guidelines and standard operating procedures to strengthen detection, removal and reporting of CSEAM, including amendments to the Information Technology Act and IT Rules where necessary.
  • Platforms must promptly remove material matching a verified database entry, provide users a notice explaining the removal, and report CSEAM to Indian law enforcement authorities including the Special Juvenile Police Unit and local police, with removals reported within two hours.
  • The constitutional validity of the Sahyog Portal has been challenged by parties including X Corp; the Karnataka High Court upheld it in September last year, and the Supreme Court stayed parallel challenges, including pleas in the Bombay High Court by Kunal Kamra, in August after a Union government transfer petition.
  • The court asked the government to consider exemplary monetary penalties proportionate to the gravity and recurrence of violations and to disgorge revenue earned from CSEAM circulated through paywalls or subscriptions.
  • The government must file an affidavit detailing compliance progress by the next hearing on December 10, 2026.

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Go-Delhi Foundation cleared by Delhi Cabinet with ₹50 crore corpus for startups and young innovators

Key Updates:

  • The Delhi Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, approved the Go-Delhi Foundation with a corpus of ₹50 crore to empower young innovators and startups.
  • Delhi is home to nearly 21,000 startups recognised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
  • The foundation will help startups and MSMEs access product engineering, prototyping, laboratories, testing facilities, mentorship, incubation and investor connections to turn early-stage ideas into market-ready products.
  • It will support entrepreneurs at different stages, from product development and testing to certification preparation and market access.
  • Government departments can bring real-world challenges to Delhi's innovators, with solutions tested through pilot projects and successful ones adopted.
  • The foundation will adopt a hub-and-spoke model, delivering programmes through existing facilities and partner institutions across Delhi.
  • It will be established as a not-for-profit company under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013, functioning under the Delhi government's Department of Industries.

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Maharashtra launches first Annapurti Grain ATM in Nashik for round-the-clock foodgrain access

Key Updates:

  • Maharashtra's first advanced 'Annapurti Grain ATM' was inaugurated by State Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Chhagan Bhujbal in Nashik.
  • The Grain ATM aims to provide foodgrains to eligible beneficiaries beyond the fixed operating hours of fair-price shops.
  • Maharashtra has around 54,000 fair-price shops serving approximately 7 to 7.5 crore beneficiaries under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
  • Of three grain ATMs planned in Maharashtra, the first is in Nashik, with the next two proposed in Nagpur and Thane.

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Topic

International, Defence and Summits

View all International & Defence

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to lead India at 25th SCO Heads of Government meeting in Dushanbe

Key Updates:

  • Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will represent India at the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (CHG) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), to be held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on October 19-20.
  • The meeting will focus on strengthening multilateral cooperation among SCO member states in trade, economy, investment, connectivity, innovation and cultural-humanitarian exchanges.
  • The forum is expected to review ongoing cooperation initiatives and consider decisions on the SCO's financial and institutional functioning.
  • The previous CHG meeting was held in Moscow on November 18 last year, where External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar represented India.
  • The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan; India and Pakistan became permanent members in 2017, and its other members include Iran and Belarus.
  • In April, Rajnath Singh attended the SCO defence ministers' meeting at Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

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SCO names Lahore as Tourism and Cultural Capital for 2026-27 (Start of September)

Lahore has been designated as the Tourism and Cultural Capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for 2026-27. The decision was announced at the 26th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Bishkek…

CRPF moves to bring back Lance Naik and Naik ranks nearly three decades after their 1997 abolition

Key Updates:

  • The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) plans to reintroduce the ranks of Lance Naik and Naik, which were abolished in 1997 through a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order but remain operational in the Army.
  • The CRPF has asked its lower formations to gather stakeholder views through special sainik sammelans, with consolidated suggestions to be forwarded to headquarters by October 18.
  • Under the proposed hierarchy, a constable would be promoted to Lance Naik in five years, Naik in 10 years, and Head Constable in 20 years.
  • Currently, the about 3.25 lakh personnel-strong CRPF faces acute promotion stagnation, with a constable getting the first promotion in 22-25 years on average.
  • The move also aims to make CRPF service attractive for Agniveers from the Army, whose first batch under the Agnipath scheme retires this year and becomes eligible to join the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
  • At present, CAPFs use an ad hoc arrangement granting a non-sanctioned senior constable rank insignia equivalent to Lance Naik, with no arrangement for the Naik rank.

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Athira Suresh Joins Indian Army as Lieutenant (Start of September)

Lieutenant Athira Suresh of Kozhikode, Kerala, was commissioned into the Indian Army on September 5, 2026, at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Gaya. She was commissioned during OTA Gaya's 29th passing-out parade…

Topic

Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment

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ISRO successfully conducts CM-SM separation tests for Gaganyaan mission

Key Updates:

  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) completed Crew Module (CM)-Service Module (SM) separation tests for the Gaganyaan missions.
  • The tests were conducted at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram to validate the overall design adequacy of the separation system.
  • The Gaganyaan mission aims to launch a crew of three members into a 400 km orbit for a three-day mission.
  • The tests demonstrated the robustness and shock-survivability of critical subsystems, including avionics systems and the thermal protection system.

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IISER Thiruvananthapuram team creates compound that releases hydrogen and methane on heating

Key Updates:

  • Scientists at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram (IISER) developed a solid compound called magnesium hydridomethylzincate, made of magnesium, zinc, hydrogen, and carbon, that releases fuel gases when heated moderately.
  • When heated in solution to 100°C the compound released hydrogen, and when its crystals were heated without a solvent at 80-110°C it released both hydrogen and methane.
  • The findings were published in the journal Science Advances on October 7, 2026.
  • The team found that methane was released before hydrogen through successive chemical reactions, and each unit of the compound's paired molecular structure could produce two molecules each of hydrogen and methane.
  • As magnesium hydridomethylzincate is solid at room temperature and releases the gases at relatively low temperatures, it could offer an alternative to transporting methane and hydrogen as compressed gases.
  • The compound is highly sensitive to moisture, and it is not yet known whether it can be replenished once its gaseous contents are depleted.

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Topic

Sports

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Asian Para Games 2026 open in Aichi-Nagoya as India targets 100 medals with 168 athletes

Key Updates:

  • The fifth Asian Para Games 2026 began in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and will run until October 24, featuring competitions across 18 sports.
  • The opening ceremony was held at Paloma Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya under the theme 'WABI: We Are Beautiful Individuals', with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi welcoming athletes and officials from across Asia.
  • India has sent a 281-member contingent, including 168 athletes (112 men and 56 women) and 113 officials, competing in 11 disciplines.
  • India is targeting a 100-medal haul after winning a record 111 medals at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, China.
  • Para-badminton player Pramod Bhagat and sprinter Simran Sharma are leading the Indian contingent as flag-bearers.
  • The Indian squad includes javelin thrower Sumit Antil, shooter Avani Lekhara, archer Sheetal Devi, sprinter Simran Sharma, Pramod Bhagat and Bhavina Patel.
  • The event will be streamed live on the Waves OTT app and Prasar Bharati Sports' YouTube channel.

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Topic

Miscellaneous Current Affairs

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CJI Surya Kant inaugurates Ladakh Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court at Leh, bringing courts closer to litigants

Key Updates:

  • Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant inaugurated the Ladakh Bench of the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh in Leh on October 18, 2026.
  • The inauguration was attended by Supreme Court Justices MM Sundresh, PS Narasimha and Arun Palli, judges of the High Court, Attorney General for India R Venkatramani and Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
  • Hearing of cases at the Ladakh Bench will commence from Wednesday.
  • The Centre approved the establishment of the Ladakh Bench for the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in August 2026, and the High Court selected Leh as the venue for its sittings in Ladakh on October 5.
  • The High Court previously had two benches at Srinagar and Jammu, and the new bench aims to bring High Court services closer to litigants in Ladakh where geographical distances make access to courts difficult.
  • Chief Justice Surya Kant announced that lawyers from Leh and Kargil will soon be able to virtually access the Supreme Court from the Ladakh Bench, with all matters originating from Ladakh listed on a single day and heard via video-conferencing so lawyers can argue cases without travelling to Delhi.
  • The CJI stated that the newly inaugurated bench in Leh sits at about 3,500 metres above sea level, reportedly the highest location at which any high court in the country has ever sat.
  • After Ladakh became a Union Territory in 2019, its name was inserted into the high court, but the CJI described that earlier step as largely symbolic compared to the new physical bench.
  • The bench belongs equally to Leh and Kargil districts, and the CJI identified technology and legal aid as two essential instruments for improving access to justice in the region.

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President Promulgates Ladakh High Court Bench Regulation (End of August)

President Droupadi Murmu promulgated a regulation enabling the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to hold sittings in Ladakh. The regulation, titled 'The Union Territory of Ladakh (Sitting of Bench of the High…

Allahabad High Court holds transgender woman outside 'woman' definition in BNS Section 69 while granting bail

Key Updates:

  • The Allahabad High Court, in an October 15 order by Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal, held that a transgender woman who has undergone sex-reassignment surgery does not fall within the definition of 'woman' under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which criminalises sexual intercourse by deceitful means or false promise of marriage.
  • The court ruled that a transgender person has a separate identity under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and that the word 'woman' in Section 69 of the BNS includes only a female human being.
  • The observation came while granting bail to Mohd Sakir, accused of a physical relationship with a transgender woman on a false promise of marriage, in a case registered at Izzatnagar police station in Bareilly district.
  • The complainant, in a relationship with the accused for over one-and-a-half years, alleged he took over ₹5 lakh from her and then refused to marry her.
  • The informant stated she was assigned male at birth, underwent vulval reconstruction surgery on April 11, 2023, and had disclosed her transgender identity to the accused before the relationship.
  • A medical panel report of August 19, 2026, cited by the accused's counsel, found the alleged victim was male with changed genital parts and without a uterus.
  • The court noted the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs had recommended bringing transgender women within the rape provisions of the BNS, but Parliament did not accept the recommendation.
  • The high court held that, prima facie, no offence under Section 69 of the BNS was made out and granted bail to the accused subject to conditions.

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Indian Railways launches direct daily train connecting Sabarmati in Gujarat with Katra for Vaishno Devi pilgrims

Key Updates:

  • The Indian Railways has started a direct daily train between Sabarmati in Gujarat and Katra town in Jammu region, keeping in mind the interest of lakhs of pilgrims visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district.
  • Train No. 19223 departed from Sabarmati at 10.27 am on Sunday and will reach Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra at 6.55 pm on Monday.
  • From the Katra side, the daily service begins on October 20 with train No. 19224 departing at 4.50 am and arriving at Sabarmati at 2.05 pm the next day.
  • Until now, the daily Sabarmati BG-Jammu Tawi Express used to terminate at Jammu Tawi Railway Station, requiring transhipment at Jammu.
  • The train completes the journey between Katra and Sabarmati in nearly 33 hours and has additional halts at Samba, Bari Brahmana and Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan railway station in Udhampur.
  • The route connects Katra via Sabarmati, Bathinda, Firozpur, Jalandhar and Pathankot, benefiting pilgrims from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.
  • Nearly 1 crore pilgrims visit the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine every year, and Katra acts as the base camp for pilgrims moving to the shrine in the Trikuta Hills.

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