{"schema_version":1,"date":"2026-09-25","stories":[{"id":"2026-09-25-01","category":"polity","headline":"Supreme Court split on Constitution Bench reference in ECI appointments case","what_happened":"On 23 September 2026, a two-judge Supreme Court bench delivered a split view in petitions challenging provisions of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. One judge did not find a substantial question requiring reference, while the other favoured a Constitution Bench. The papers were placed before the Chief Justice of India.","why_it_matters":"The case links Article 324 with Parliament’s power to regulate election-commission appointments. It also illustrates how disagreement within a two-judge bench is handled when the constitutional validity of legislation may require consideration by a larger bench.","syllabus":{"paper":"GS2","topic":"Election Commission — constitutional position and appointment framework","static_concept":"Article 324 vests the superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission of India. Parliament can regulate the appointment and service conditions of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners through law, subject to constitutional review."},"key_terms":["Article 324","Election Commission","Constitution Bench"],"illustration":"polity_elections","image":{"url":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/7876051/pexels-photo-7876051.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&h=627&w=1200","label":"Illustrative image — not from this event","attribution":"Photo by https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels","attribution_url":"https://www.pexels.com/@karola-g","source_url":"https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-holding-divorce-papers-7876051/","license":"Pexels License","provider":"pexels"},"sources":[{"name":"Supreme Court of India (judgment text)","url":"https://indiankanoon.org/doc/93502591/"},{"name":"The Indian Express","url":"https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/defending-collegium-supreme-court-says-governments-remarks-disquieting-10891403/"}],"published_at":"2026-09-23T17:10:09+05:30","questions":[{"id":"2026-09-25-01-q1","prompt":"With reference to the appointment framework for the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners under the 2023 Act, consider the following statements:\n1. The Prime Minister chairs the selection committee.\n2. The Chief Justice of India is a member of the selection committee.\n3. The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha is a member of the selection committee.\nWhich of the statements given above is/are correct?","options":["1 and 2 only","1 and 3 only","2 and 3 only","1, 2 and 3"],"answer_index":1,"explanation":"Statements 1 and 3 are correct because the committee is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Statement 2 is incorrect because the Chief Justice of India is not a member of this statutory committee."},{"id":"2026-09-25-01-q2","prompt":"Article 324 of the Constitution primarily concerns which of the following?","options":["The powers of the Comptroller and Auditor General","The conduct and control of elections by the Election Commission","The appointment of Supreme Court judges","The distribution of legislative powers between Union and States"],"answer_index":1,"explanation":"Article 324 vests the superintendence, direction and control of elections in the Election Commission. The other options concern different constitutional provisions and institutions, not Article 324."}]},{"id":"2026-09-25-02","category":"economy","headline":"BRICS tax authorities adopt new cooperation platforms under India’s chairship","what_happened":"On 23 September 2026, India hosted the BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities Meeting in New Delhi at the end of its BRICS tax-cooperation chairship. Ten BRICS tax administrations participated. The meeting established new working groups on International Taxation and Transfer Pricing and on Revenue Statistics, launched a Tax Cross-Learning Lab, and adopted the BRICS Tax Progress Report 2026.","why_it_matters":"International taxation increasingly depends on cooperation among tax administrations, especially for cross-border business. The meeting is relevant to questions on transfer pricing, tax governance and the role of multilateral groupings in shaping practical tax-administration mechanisms.","syllabus":{"paper":"GS3","topic":"Taxation — international tax cooperation and tax administration","static_concept":"Transfer pricing concerns the pricing of transactions between associated enterprises, including cross-border transactions, and is used in tax administration to address how income is allocated among related entities. International tax cooperation seeks common approaches to cross-border tax issues."},"key_terms":["Transfer pricing","International taxation","BRICS tax cooperation"],"illustration":"economy_trade","image":{"url":"https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1603796846097-bee99e4a601f?ixid=M3wxMDgxMjUzfDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8MXx8dGF4JTIwZG9jdW1lbnRzJTIwbWVldGluZ3xlbnwxfDB8fHwxNzkwMjc1OTcyfDA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1200&h=627&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&fm=jpg","label":"Illustrative image — not from this event","attribution":"Photo by Romain Dancre on Unsplash","attribution_url":"https://unsplash.com/@romaindancre?utm_source=upsc_current_affairs&utm_medium=referral","source_url":"https://unsplash.com/photos/person-in-orange-long-sleeve-shirt-writing-on-white-paper-doplSDELX7E?utm_source=upsc_current_affairs&utm_medium=referral","license":"Unsplash License","provider":"unsplash"},"sources":[{"name":"PIB, Ministry of Finance","url":"https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=2314168&lang=1&reg=3"}],"published_at":"2026-09-23T20:38:00+05:30","questions":[{"id":"2026-09-25-02-q1","prompt":"Transfer pricing primarily deals with which of the following?","options":["Setting tax rates for domestic retail sales","Pricing transactions between associated enterprises","Fixing annual government expenditure","Determining the exchange rate of a currency"],"answer_index":1,"explanation":"Transfer pricing concerns the prices assigned to transactions between associated or related enterprises, including cross-border transactions. The other options refer to different fiscal, budgetary or monetary matters."},{"id":"2026-09-25-02-q2","prompt":"Which of the following was formally established at the BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities Meeting in New Delhi on 23 September 2026?","options":["A working group on international taxation and transfer pricing","A common BRICS central bank","A single BRICS value-added tax","A permanent BRICS customs court"],"answer_index":0,"explanation":"The meeting formally established an India-led Working Group on International Taxation and Transfer Pricing. It did not create a common central bank, a single value-added tax, or a permanent customs court."}]},{"id":"2026-09-25-03","category":"environment","headline":"DRI seizes 86 live Tokay Geckos in Assam wildlife-trafficking case","what_happened":"On 22 September 2026, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence intercepted two persons at Bandar Chalia Gaon Ground, Mariani, Assam, during an operation against an alleged wildlife-trade deal. Officers recovered 86 live Tokay Geckos and seized them under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The geckos and the two apprehended persons were handed to the Mariani Range Forest office for further action.","why_it_matters":"The seizure links wildlife crime to the Wildlife (Protection) Act and CITES, making it useful for biodiversity, protected-species and international-trade questions. It also illustrates the role of enforcement agencies in detecting illegal wildlife trafficking.","syllabus":{"paper":"GS3","topic":"Biodiversity — wildlife protection and regulation of international trade","static_concept":"The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 provides the domestic legal framework for protecting listed wild species in India. CITES regulates international trade in listed species through appendices, with Appendix II covering species whose trade needs control to prevent utilization incompatible with survival."},"key_terms":["Tokay Gecko","Wildlife (Protection) Act","CITES Appendix II"],"illustration":"environment_wildlife","image":{"url":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/18425555/pexels-photo-18425555.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&h=627&w=1200","label":"Illustrative image — not from this event","attribution":"Photo by LeeAndra Cantrell on Pexels","attribution_url":"https://www.pexels.com/@leeandra-cantrell-734726032","source_url":"https://www.pexels.com/photo/lizard-on-a-branch-18425555/","license":"Pexels License","provider":"pexels"},"sources":[{"name":"PIB, Ministry of Finance","url":"https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2314150&lang=2&reg=48"}],"published_at":"2026-09-23T20:13:00+05:30","questions":[{"id":"2026-09-25-03-q1","prompt":"With reference to CITES Appendix II, which of the following is most accurate?","options":["It covers species subject to controlled international trade","It automatically prohibits all international trade in listed species","It covers only extinct species","It applies only to species found in one country"],"answer_index":0,"explanation":"Appendix II includes species whose international trade must be controlled so that utilization is compatible with their survival. It does not impose the blanket trade prohibition associated with the stricter Appendix I regime, and it is not limited to extinct or single-country species."},{"id":"2026-09-25-03-q2","prompt":"The recent Tokay Gecko seizure involved a species reported as being listed under which two frameworks?","options":["Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Appendix II of CITES","Schedule V of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Appendix I of CITES","Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Appendix III of CITES","Schedule VI of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and Appendix IV of CITES"],"answer_index":0,"explanation":"The PIB release states that Tokay Gecko is listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 and Appendix II of CITES. The other combinations are not the classifications reported in the release."}]},{"id":"2026-09-25-04","category":"geography","headline":"IMD tracks deep depression over Andhra–Odisha region","what_happened":"IMD reported that a deep depression over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha had moved north-westward after crossing the coast near Kalingapatnam. On 24 September, the system was centred over the Andhra–Odisha region and was forecast to weaken gradually into a depression. IMD issued coastal warnings including rough seas and heavy rainfall over parts of the region.","why_it_matters":"Tropical weather systems are a recurring UPSC geography theme because their formation, movement and weakening affect rainfall, coastal hazards and disaster management. The event also tests location-based understanding of the Andhra–Odisha coast and Bay of Bengal systems.","syllabus":{"paper":"GS1","topic":"Climatology — tropical weather systems, monsoon and coastal hazards","static_concept":"A deep depression is an organized tropical low-pressure system stronger than a depression but weaker than a cyclonic storm in IMD’s classification. Such systems can produce heavy rainfall, strong winds and rough seas even when they do not reach cyclonic-storm intensity."},"key_terms":["Deep depression","Bay of Bengal","Kalingapatnam"],"illustration":"geography_disaster","image":{"url":"https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1764358265049-24ac853d9346?ixid=M3wxMDgxMjUzfDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8MTR8fGN5Y2xvbmUlMjBjbG91ZHMlMjBjb2FzdGxpbmV8ZW58MXwwfHx8MTc5MDI3NTk3M3ww&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1200&h=627&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&fm=jpg","label":"Illustrative image — not from this event","attribution":"Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash","attribution_url":"https://unsplash.com/@wolfgang_hasselmann?utm_source=upsc_current_affairs&utm_medium=referral","source_url":"https://unsplash.com/photos/dark-storm-clouds-gather-over-a-choppy-sea-DrH66BjFCFE?utm_source=upsc_current_affairs&utm_medium=referral","license":"Unsplash License","provider":"unsplash"},"sources":[{"name":"India Meteorological Department","url":"https://mausam.imd.gov.in/Forecast/seaarea_bulletin_new.php?id=0"}],"published_at":"2026-09-24T15:44:00+05:30","questions":[{"id":"2026-09-25-04-q1","prompt":"In IMD terminology, a deep depression is best described as which of the following?","options":["A tropical low-pressure system stronger than a depression but weaker than a cyclonic storm","A seasonal wind reversal over the Indian subcontinent","A high-pressure system that causes clear skies","A localised sea-breeze circulation confined to a coastline"],"answer_index":0,"explanation":"A deep depression is an intensity category within tropical low-pressure systems, between depression and cyclonic storm. The other options describe unrelated atmospheric or local circulation features."}]},{"id":"2026-09-25-05","category":"science_tech","headline":"Indian experiment measures a quantum measure above one","what_happened":"The Department of Science and Technology reported an experiment by Raman Research Institute scientists that measured a quantum measure exceeding one for the first time experimentally. Using selected photon paths and an event-filtering setup, the team measured a quantum measure of about 1.17, close to a prediction of about 1.18. The detector probability itself remained below one.","why_it_matters":"The result offers a current example of how quantum theory differs from classical probability and shows a laboratory method for probing quantum histories. It is useful for conceptual questions on interference, quantum measurement and emerging quantum technologies.","syllabus":{"paper":"GS3","topic":"Quantum science — measurement, interference and emerging applications","static_concept":"Quantum Measure Theory describes quantum processes through possible histories and assigns a generalized measure that includes interference between histories. Unlike ordinary classical probability, this quantum measure can exceed one, while an actual detector probability remains bounded between zero and one."},"key_terms":["Quantum Measure Theory","Interference","Event-filtering"],"illustration":"science_digital","image":{"url":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/7254410/pexels-photo-7254410.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&h=627&w=1200","label":"Illustrative image — not from this event","attribution":"Photo by Opt Lasers from Poland on Pexels","attribution_url":"https://www.pexels.com/@optlasers","source_url":"https://www.pexels.com/photo/purple-and-white-electronic-device-7254410/","license":"Pexels License","provider":"pexels"},"sources":[{"name":"Department of Science & Technology","url":"https://dst.gov.in/beyond-one-indian-researchers-experiment-could-lead-new-tool-quantum-measurement"}],"published_at":"2026-09-24T00:00:00+05:30","questions":[{"id":"2026-09-25-05-q1","prompt":"What was the quantity that the Raman Research Institute experiment measured above one?","options":["The ordinary detector probability","The quantum measure assigned to a chosen set of histories","The wavelength of the laser","The number of detected photons"],"answer_index":1,"explanation":"The experiment measured a quantum measure of about 1.17, which can exceed one because it incorporates interference between histories. The detector probability remained below one, and neither wavelength nor photon count was the quantity reported as exceeding one."},{"id":"2026-09-25-05-q2","prompt":"Why can a quantum measure exceed one while ordinary probability does not?","options":["Because quantum measure includes interference between possible histories","Because detectors can record more than one probability","Because photons have no measurable physical properties","Because classical probability rules are suspended for all laboratory measurements"],"answer_index":0,"explanation":"The DST account explains that interference between different photon routes can make the quantum measure exceed one. Ordinary detector probability remains a conventional probability and therefore stays between zero and one."}]},{"id":"2026-09-25-06","category":"international_relations","headline":"India–Sri Lanka maritime exercise SLINEX-26 concludes at Visakhapatnam","what_happened":"The 13th edition of the India–Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise SLINEX-26 concluded at Visakhapatnam on 21 September after being conducted from 17 to 21 September. Its sea phase included coordinated maritime manoeuvres, air operations, night replenishment at sea and Special Forces drills such as Visit, Board, Search and Seizure. The exercise focused on interoperability and maritime cooperation.","why_it_matters":"Bilateral maritime exercises are relevant to India’s neighbourhood policy, Indian Ocean security and defence cooperation. SLINEX also illustrates how naval interoperability can be developed through harbour interactions, coordinated sea exercises and specialised drills.","syllabus":{"paper":"GS2","topic":"India–Sri Lanka relations — maritime cooperation and Indian Ocean security","static_concept":"Bilateral military exercises are instruments of defence diplomacy that build interoperability, professional familiarity and capacity for coordinated operations. In India’s neighbourhood, maritime cooperation also supports broader Indian Ocean security and regional engagement."},"key_terms":["SLINEX","Indian Ocean Region","VBSS"],"illustration":"ir_maritime","image":{"url":"https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1570547280529-db0a5d5af2db?ixid=M3wxMDgxMjUzfDB8MXxzZWFyY2h8N3x8bmF2YWwlMjBzaGlwcyUyMHNlYSUyMGV4ZXJjaXNlfGVufDF8MHx8fDE3OTAyNzU5NzR8MA&ixlib=rb-4.1.0&w=1200&h=627&fit=crop&crop=entropy&q=80&fm=jpg","label":"Illustrative image — not from this event","attribution":"Photo by Arron Choi on Unsplash","attribution_url":"https://unsplash.com/@arronchoi?utm_source=upsc_current_affairs&utm_medium=referral","source_url":"https://unsplash.com/photos/naval-ships-on-water-cMyTiCrgnbE?utm_source=upsc_current_affairs&utm_medium=referral","license":"Unsplash License","provider":"unsplash"},"sources":[{"name":"PIB, Ministry of Defence","url":"https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2313929&lang=2&reg=48"}],"published_at":"2026-09-23T16:30:00+05:30","questions":[{"id":"2026-09-25-06-q1","prompt":"In naval exercises, the acronym VBSS used in SLINEX-26 stands for which of the following?","options":["Visit, Board, Search and Seizure","Verify, Block, Scan and Secure","Vessel Boarding, Surveillance and Screening","Visit, Break, Search and Stop"],"answer_index":0,"explanation":"VBSS stands for Visit, Board, Search and Seizure, a set of maritime boarding and inspection procedures. The other expansions are not the standard meaning of the acronym used in the exercise release."}]},{"id":"2026-09-25-07","category":"social_issues","headline":"FSSAI proposes restricting use of ‘Paneer’ for non-milk analogues","what_happened":"On 24 September 2026, FSSAI proposed an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. The draft would address paneer made from constituents not derived from milk and require products in the ‘Analogue in Dairy Context’ category to stop using “Paneer” in their name, labelling or marketing. Stakeholders were invited to submit objections and suggestions.","why_it_matters":"The proposal connects food labelling with consumer protection and regulatory governance. For UPSC, it is a useful example of how statutory food-safety regulation addresses product composition, nomenclature and informed consumer choice.","syllabus":{"paper":"GS2","topic":"Food safety and consumer protection — regulatory institutions and standards","static_concept":"The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India functions under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Regulations under the Act lay down standards and restrictions intended to protect consumers and ensure that food is accurately described and safe."},"key_terms":["FSSAI","Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006","Food labelling"],"illustration":"social_welfare","image":{"url":"https://images.pexels.com/photos/20395267/pexels-photo-20395267.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&fit=crop&h=627&w=1200","label":"Illustrative image — not from this event","attribution":"Photo by Jack Baghel on Pexels","attribution_url":"https://www.pexels.com/@jack-baghel-2199968","source_url":"https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-dish-with-green-sauce-on-the-side-20395267/","license":"Pexels License","provider":"pexels"},"sources":[{"name":"PIB, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare","url":"https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2314542&lang=2&reg=48&v=2"}],"published_at":"2026-09-24T19:23:00+05:30","questions":[{"id":"2026-09-25-07-q1","prompt":"The proposed FSSAI amendment concerning non-milk-derived analogue products is issued under which principal law?","options":["Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006","Essential Commodities Act, 1955","Consumer Protection Act, 2019","Legal Metrology Act, 2009"],"answer_index":0,"explanation":"The PIB release states that the proposed amendment was issued by FSSAI with previous approval of the Central Government under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The other Acts regulate different fields and are not the statutory basis named in the release."}]}]}