The Madras High Court on Friday restrained the Election Commission (EC) from notifying byelections to five Tamil Nadu Assembly constituencies (Tiruchi East, Perundurai, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai, and Karur) until July 31. This interim order was issued in response to a PIL petition arguing that holding byelections before pending election petitions, challenging the victories of the resigned MLAs, could create an anomalous situation where constituencies might be represented by two individuals. The court granted respondents time until July 31 to file counter-affidavits, emphasizing the purity of the democratic process.
The Madras High Court has temporarily halted byelections in five T.N. Assembly constituencies.
The decision stems from a PIL arguing that byelections should not precede the disposal of pending election petitions.
The court highlighted the potential for an anomalous situation if both the original election challenge and a byelection result were valid.
Exam Points
Madras High Court issued the interim order.
The five constituencies are Tiruchi East, Perundurai, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai, and Karur.
The PIL was filed by K. Venkatachalapathy of Tirunelveli.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas defended E20-blended fuel, admitting a 3-5% reduction in fuel economy for "some vehicles" but highlighting other benefits like higher octane rating, superior anti-knock characteristics, and cleaner engine operation. The government explained that E20 is not currently cheaper than pure petrol because ethanol is procured at remunerative prices to compensate farmers, making it costlier when crude oil prices are around $70 a barrel. However, E20 becomes cheaper when crude oil prices reach $120-130 per barrel, and it helps insulate the Indian market from global price volatility.
The government acknowledges a potential 3-5% reduction in fuel economy with E20 fuel for certain vehicles.
E20 offers benefits such as higher octane rating, better anti-knock properties, and cleaner engine operation.
The current cost of E20 is influenced by remunerative prices paid to farmers for ethanol, making it costlier than pure petrol at lower crude oil prices.
Exam Points
E20 refers to fuel with 20% ethanol blend.
Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas issued the FAQ document.
Ethanol procurement price is around ₹71.86 per litre (before GST, transport, storage).
West Bengal police arrested five more suspects in connection with mob violence following the alleged rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, bringing the total arrests to 35. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is investigating the case, and a forensic team visited the encounter site. Civil rights organizations, including Amra Ek Sachetan Prayas and APDR, have demanded an investigation into the police 'encounter' killing of one of the prime accused, Prabhas Mondal, citing Supreme Court directives and NHRC guidelines on encounter deaths.
Five additional arrests were made in the Baruipur mob violence case, increasing the total to 35.
The Criminal Investigation Department is actively investigating the rape-murder case and the subsequent mob violence.
Civil rights organizations are demanding an investigation into the police encounter that resulted in the death of a prime accused.
Exam Points
Incident occurred in Baruipur, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
Total arrests in the mob violence case reached 35.
One prime accused, Prabhas Mondal, was killed in a police 'encounter'.
Tribal villagers, primarily women, in Chhatarpur district escalated their protests against the Ken-Betwa river-linking project, citing inadequate rehabilitation packages. The protesters, some placing nooses around their necks symbolically, demand an increase in their rehabilitation package from ₹12.5 lakh to ₹25 lakh, and inclusion of all affected families from Majhgaon and Runjh irrigation projects. While the Collector claims the current protesters are not directly impacted by Ken-Betwa but by other projects, the State Cabinet recently increased the rehabilitation package for Majhgaon and Runjh projects by ₹300 crore, from ₹5 lakh to ₹12.5 lakh. Environmentalists also express concerns about the project's impact on local ecology and wildlife, particularly Panna National Park.
Tribal women are leading protests against the Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Chhatarpur district.
The main demand is for an increased rehabilitation package and inclusion of all affected families from related irrigation projects.
The State Cabinet recently approved an increase in the rehabilitation package for Majhgaon and Runjh projects.
Exam Points
Protests are in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh.
The Ken-Betwa link project was flagged off by PM Narendra Modi on December 25, 2024.
It is the first of 30 such link projects under the National Perspective Plan (NPP).
The governing body of the National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) approved four new conservation projects. These projects focus on the conservation and recovery action plan for river dolphins, Project Snow Leopard Phase-II (including population estimation), the conservation action plan for the Indian Rhinoceros, and a pan-India conservation approach for the wild water buffalo. This initiative underscores the government's commitment to protecting endangered species and their habitats across the country.
CAMPA has approved four new conservation projects for endangered species.
The projects target river dolphins, snow leopards, Indian Rhinoceros, and wild water buffalo.
Project Snow Leopard Phase-II includes a second cycle of population estimation.
Exam Points
Governing body: National Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
The projects are for river dolphins, snow leopards, Indian Rhinoceros, and wild water buffalo.
Close to a third of Telangana's electorate, approximately 30%, is facing closer scrutiny by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) as part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Out of 66.66 lakh enumeration forms verified, over 20 lakh electors were found either unmapped or with anomalies. Unmapped voters are those whose names or relatives' names were not found in previous rolls, while anomalies include less than nine months gap between progeny, less than 15 years age gap between progeny and parent, or different parent names. The Bharat Rashtra Samithi urged the EC to use Aadhaar-enabled verification and artificial intelligence to identify duplicate registrations while protecting genuine electors.
About 30% of Telangana's electorate is under scrutiny during the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
Over 20 lakh electors out of 66.66 lakh verified forms were found to be unmapped or have anomalies.
Anomalies include discrepancies in age gaps between family members and non-existence in previous rolls.
Exam Points
State: Telangana.
Process: Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Over 20 lakh electors out of 66.66 lakh forms verified had anomalies.
Institutes of National Importance (INIs), including IITs and IIMs, have pushed back against the Centre's Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, seeking exemptions from many of its provisions. The Bill aims to overhaul India's higher education regulatory framework by repealing existing bodies like UGC and AICTE and replacing them with a single apex body. INIs, along with Central universities, argue for protecting institutional autonomy, citing contradictions and centralizing provisions. While the government defends the Bill by pointing to Clause 49, which promises to protect INI autonomy, many institutes seek explicit language exempting them from the new regulatory structure, especially concerning approvals for online programmes and new colleges.
Institutes of National Importance (INIs) like IITs and IIMs are resisting provisions of the VBSA Bill, 2025.
The Bill proposes a structural overhaul of higher education by replacing multiple regulatory bodies with a single apex body.
INIs are demanding explicit exemptions to safeguard their institutional autonomy in research, curriculum, and academic activities.
Exam Points
Bill name: Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025.
The Bill is under review by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) headed by BJP MP D. Purandeswari.
It proposes to repeal statutory Acts governing UGC, AICTE, and National Council for Teacher Education.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in New Zealand for a two-day visit, marking the first Prime Ministerial visit to the country in four decades. He will hold talks with his counterpart Christopher Luxon to enhance economic, trade, and commercial engagements. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that the visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties and unlock new avenues of cooperation across various sectors including trade, defence, sports, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges. This visit follows PM Modi's trips to Australia and Indonesia, where significant agreements were made, including a civil nuclear energy agreement with Australia and 14 agreements with Indonesia.
PM Narendra Modi's visit to New Zealand is the first Prime Ministerial visit in four decades.
The visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties and explore new cooperation avenues across multiple sectors.
Key areas of focus include trade, defence, sports, culture, education, and people-to-people exchanges.
Exam Points
PM Narendra Modi visited New Zealand.
New Zealand counterpart: Christopher Luxon.
This is the first Indian Prime Ministerial visit to New Zealand in four decades.
A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill recommended replacing "removal" with "suspension" for Prime Ministers, Chief Ministers, or Ministers held in judicial custody for over 30 consecutive days. This change aims to address concerns that "removal" carried an unwarranted stigma and was not linked to a judicial finding of guilt. The panel also suggested defining "serious criminal offences" as those punishable with five years or more imprisonment, establishing fast-track courts for such cases, and creating a separate schedule of offences. Concerns were raised about the potential misuse of the mechanism against non-BJP-ruled States.
A JPC recommended 'suspension' instead of 'removal' for high public functionaries jailed for over 30 days.
The proposed change aims to make the measure reversible and avoid premature stigma without a judicial finding of guilt.
The panel suggested defining "serious criminal offences" as those punishable by five years or more imprisonment.
Exam Points
Bill: Constitution (One Hundred and Thirtieth Amendment) Bill.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) met Home Minister Amit Shah to express concerns over the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, and its associated Rules. The CBCI specifically objected to the term "proselytisation" in the Rules, arguing it has no relevance to FCRA activities and could be misused to misinterpret charitable and humanitarian services as religious conversion. They also opposed the Bill's provision allowing a "designated authority" to take over, manage, or dispose of NGO assets created from foreign funds, especially its retrospective application and the lack of a judicial finality before such actions.
The CBCI raised objections to specific provisions of the FCRA Amendment Bill, 2026, and its Rules.
They opposed the inclusion of "proselytisation" in the Rules, fearing misinterpretation of charitable activities as religious conversion.
Concerns were also raised about the Bill's provision allowing a "designated authority" to seize NGO assets without judicial finality.
The Union Health Ministry has amended rules to strengthen regulatory control over medicinal products with high alcohol content, aiming to prevent their misuse. The amendment removes the exemption from licensing requirements for formulations containing more than 12% v/v ethyl alcohol in quantities exceeding 30 ml, previously covered under Schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945. These products will now require requisite licenses under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and will be shifted to Schedule H1 of the Drugs Rules, 1945, mandating sale against prescription and stricter record-keeping. This move addresses concerns from State governments about misuse for intoxication.
The Union Health Ministry has amended rules to tighten regulation on medicinal products with high alcohol content.
Formulations with over 12% v/v ethyl alcohol (exceeding 30 ml) now require licenses, removing a previous exemption.
These products will be moved to Schedule H1, requiring prescriptions and stricter record-keeping.
Exam Points
Ministry: Union Health Ministry.
Previous exemption: Schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945.
New requirement: Requisite licenses under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
The Indian government has released the tariffs and quotas for automobile imports from the United Kingdom under the India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), effective July 15. Initially, 20,000 completely built units (CBUs) of petrol and diesel passenger vehicles will be allowed at concessional rates of 30-50%, depending on engine size, down from the normal 66-110% duty. This quota will increase to 37,000 cars by year five, settling at a 10% tariff, then gradually decrease to 15,000 by year 15. Concessions for electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen-based passenger vehicles will begin from year six, based on cost.
India has finalized tariffs and quotas for U.K. automobile imports under the India-U.K. CETA.
Initially, 20,000 petrol and diesel CBUs will be imported at concessional rates of 30-50%.
The quota for conventional vehicles will increase to 37,000 by year five, with tariffs settling at 10%, then decrease to 15,000 by year 15.
Exam Points
Agreement: India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
Effective date: July 15.
Initial quota: 20,000 completely built units (CBUs) of petrol and diesel PVs.
The European Union has warned Meta to modify the "addictive design" of its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, or face substantial fines. Brussels accused Meta of failing to mitigate risks posed to users, especially children and vulnerable adults, due to features like endless scroll, highly personalized feeds, and automatic video playback. The EU's preliminary view suggests Meta needs to implement design changes such as disabling addictive features by default, implementing screen time breaks, and adapting its recommender system to be less engagement-oriented. Meta disagreed with the findings but committed to engaging constructively; non-compliance could lead to fines up to 6% of its total worldwide annual turnover.
The EU has issued a warning to Meta regarding the "addictive design" of Facebook and Instagram.
Meta is accused of failing to protect users, particularly children, from harmful design features like endless scroll and autoplay videos.
The EU recommends design changes, including disabling addictive features by default and implementing screen time breaks.
Exam Points
Regulator: European Union (EU).
Companies: Meta (Facebook, Instagram).
EU tech chief: Henna Virkkunen.
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