Current affairs
News for UPSC, SSC and defence exams, with the reason it matters.
July 2026
Lok Sabha passes Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to tighten delayed registration
- The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on 31 July 2026, two days after it was introduced.
- It amends the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
- Events reported after one year but within two years need a magistrate's approval.
Why it matters
[Polity] Late registrations are often misused to make fake birth records. The Bill makes such claims go through checks first. A birth certificate is now a key proof of date of birth.
Parliament passes Public Examinations Amendment Bill, 2026 with tougher penalties for exam cheating
- The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 30 July 2026, a day after the Lok Sabha.
- Jail for using unfair means rises to 5–10 years, with fines up to ₹50 lakh.
- Organised exam crime now gets at least 7 years and a minimum ₹10 crore fine.
Why it matters
[Polity] The Bill amends the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. That Act covers exams by UPSC, SSC, railway boards, IBPS and the NTA. Service providers caught cheating can now be barred for eight years.
Supreme Court seeks Centre’s reply on plea challenging the ‘merger’ exception in the anti-defection law
- The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre on 28 July 2026.
- The plea was filed by Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal.
- It challenges how Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule is read.
Why it matters
[Polity] The Tenth Schedule was added by the 52nd Amendment in 1985. The 91st Amendment in 2003 removed the 'split' exception. The 'merger' exception still remains.
President Droupadi Murmu completes four years in office
- Droupadi Murmu completed four years as President on 25 July 2026.
- She took oath as India's 15th President on 25 July 2022.
- She is India's first President from a Scheduled Tribe.
Why it matters
[Polity] The President is elected for five years under Article 56. The electoral college has elected MPs and elected MLAs of states and some UTs. Murmu's term runs till July 2027.
Madhya Pradesh Assembly passes Uniform Civil Code Bill, the fourth state to do so
- The Madhya Pradesh Assembly passed the UCC Bill on 21 July 2026 by voice vote.
- It is the fourth state after Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Assam.
- It bans polygamy and makes registration of marriages compulsory.
Why it matters
[Polity] Article 44, a Directive Principle, asks the State to try to secure a uniform civil code. A state can make such a law because marriage and succession are in the Concurrent List. The Bill still needs the Governor's assent.
Monsoon Session opens; Bill introduced to raise Supreme Court judges’ strength from 34 to 38
- Parliament's Monsoon Session began on 20 July 2026.
- Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill that day.
- It raises the number of judges, other than the CJI, from 33 to 37.
Why it matters
[Polity] Article 124 lets Parliament fix the number of Supreme Court judges by law. That number is set in the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. An ordinance lapses six weeks after Parliament reassembles unless replaced by a law.
CCPA acts against 41 restaurants for adding service charge by default
- The Central Consumer Protection Authority took suo motu action against 41 restaurants in July 2026.
- They had added service charge to bills by default, based on National Consumer Helpline complaints.
- Penalties were imposed, and the restaurants were told to stop automatic service charges.
Why it matters
[Polity] The CCPA was set up under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019. Its 2022 guidelines bar restaurants from adding service charge by default. Courts have upheld these guidelines.
National Anti-Doping Act, 2022 and its 2025 Amendment come into force after four years
- The Sports Ministry brought the National Anti-Doping Act, 2022 into force from 15 July 2026.
- The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Act, 2025 came into force the next day, 16 July 2026.
- The Act makes NADA a statutory body. NADA handles testing, investigations and anti-doping education.
Why it matters
[Polity] Parliament passed the Act in August 2022. The World Anti-Doping Agency objected that it gave government too much control. India amended the law in 2025 before switching it on.
India chairs UNCTAD expert group on consumer protection; UN product-safety principles launched
- India chaired the 9th session of UNCTAD's Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Protection Law and Policy.
- Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare presided over the three-day session in Geneva from 6 July 2026.
- The session launched the UN Principles for Consumer Product Safety, adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2025.
Why it matters
[Global] This expert group is the main UN platform for consumer-law cooperation. India's chairing reflects its own reforms, such as the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the e-Jagriti portal.