Article 19
Protects six freedoms including speech and expression, assembly, association, movement, residence and profession.
On UPSC.wiki
Current affairs72nd National Film Awards 2026: Dadasaheb Phalke to Anant Nag, Best Film 'Article 370', Ceremony at Ekta NagarThe 72nd National Film Awards ceremony was held on 22 September 2026 at Ekta Nagar (Statue of Unity complex), Kevadia, Gujarat — the first time this ceremony was held outside New Delhi. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India's highest film honour, on veteran Kannada actor Anant Nag. Best Feature Film went to 'Article 370' and Best Actress to Yami Gautam. Current affairsTRAI A2P Regulations 2026: India's First Statutory Definition of Autodialler and Robo-calls, AI-Based Spam EnforcementOn 18 September 2026, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) notified the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026, introducing India's first statutory definitions of Application-to-Person (A2P) calls, autodialler technology, and robo-calls. The regulations also incorporate AI/ML-based spam detection and impose a 5 paise/minute termination charge on A2P calls, strengthening India's Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) enforcement framework. Current affairsSC in Sandeep Ghandat vs RBI (2026 INSC 955): RBI's Power to Supersede Multi-State Co-operative Bank Boards Not Capped at Six MonthsOn September 3, 2026, the Supreme Court of India held in Sandeep S. Ghandat vs Reserve Bank of India (2026 INSC 955) that the RBI's statutory power under Section 36AAA(1) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 to supersede the Board of Directors of a multi-State co-operative bank is not limited to the six-month cap prescribed under Article 243ZL(1) of the Constitution. The court set a five-year aggregate ceiling and ruled that state government consultation is not required for multi-State co-operative banks. Current affairsPMAY-U 2.0: Original Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban Concludes September 2026, Successor Targets 1 Crore More FamiliesAs the original Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) concludes in September 2026 after completing approximately 1 crore houses in over 11 years, its successor — PMAY-U 2.0, approved by the Union Cabinet on August 9, 2024 — is now in full implementation. The new phase targets 1 crore additional urban families with a total investment of ₹10 lakh crore over five years, prioritising women's homeownership and affordable rental housing. Current affairsShahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) Designated 46th Terrorist Organisation Under UAPA 2026The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) designated the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) as a terrorist organisation — the 46th such designation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). The SBN is a Pakistan-based network accused of financing, recruiting, and coordinating terrorist activities against India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. Current affairsUPI MDR Policy Clarification 2026: P2P Transactions Remain Free; 0.4% MDR on Select Merchant Payments Above ₹2,000The Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) clarified on September 15, 2026, that all person-to-person (P2P) UPI transactions will remain completely free. A Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) of 0.4% — capped at ₹300 — will now apply on select person-to-merchant (P2M) UPI payments above ₹2,000. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is implementing the change to make the zero-MDR model financially sustainable for payment ecosystem participants. Current affairsInternational Day of Democracy 2026: Deliberative Democracy and the AI Governance ChallengeThe United Nations observes International Day of Democracy on September 15 each year. The 2026 theme is "Raising Hands and Voices — Fostering Agency and Ownership through Deliberative Democracy," highlighting participatory governance models as democratic institutions face challenges from disinformation, AI-driven political manipulation, and declining citizen trust globally. Current affairsConsumer Protection (E-Commerce) Amendment Rules 2026: Prior Price Disclosure, Dark Pattern Audits, and NCH IntegrationThe Department of Consumer Affairs notified the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Amendment Rules 2026 (effective 1 January 2027), mandating e-commerce platforms to display the lowest price offered in the preceding 30 days alongside any discount, label sponsored listings prominently, conduct annual dark-pattern audits, and integrate with the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). Current affairsAASHVAST Lab: Indian Army's Air-Gapped Drone Security Testing Facility to Detect Hidden Chinese Components and Firmware ThreatsThe Indian Army inaugurated the AASHVAST Lab (Assessment and Analysis of Systems Hardware for Vulnerabilities And Security Threats) on August 14, 2026, to detect Chinese-origin components, hidden malware, GPS spoofing vulnerabilities, and unauthorised firmware in military drones. The air-gapped, read-only facility at DG EME Headquarters in Delhi represents a critical step in securing India's growing military drone fleet against supply-chain cyber threats. Current affairsMunitions India Limited and Drogo Aerospace Sign MoU for Indigenous UAV and Loitering Munition Systems: India's Kamikaze Drone Capability and Defence IndigenisationMunitions India Limited (MIL), a Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) under the Ministry of Defence, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Drogo Aerospace Private Limited on September 4, 2026, in Pune for the development of indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and loitering munition (kamikaze drone) systems — a major step in India's defence indigenisation drive under the Make in India framework. Current affairsLIC Gets RBI Approval to Acquire Up to 9.99% Stake in ICICI Bank: Regulatory Framework, Insurance-Banking Linkage, and UPSC SignificanceThe Reserve Bank of India granted the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) approval to acquire up to 9.99% of ICICI Bank's paid-up share capital or voting rights within one year from September 4, 2026. This marks a significant regulatory development at the intersection of banking supervision, insurance regulation, and India's evolving financial conglomerate architecture. Current affairsBirkbeck, University of London Gets UGC Approval for Bengaluru Campus: India's Foreign University Experiment and NEP 2020Birkbeck, University of London received a UGC Letter of Approval on September 3, 2026, to establish its Indian campus at Sattva Tech Park, Bengaluru — under the UGC FHEI Regulations 2023 enabled by NEP 2020. The UK university, world-renowned for part-time and evening education for working adults, will offer undergraduate and postgraduate business programmes at up to 60% lower cost than its UK campus.
In previous-year questions
- The FCRA 2020 Amendment was challenged and upheld by the Supreme Court in which landmark case, and what was the main ground for upholding it?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Supreme Court's February 2024 landmark judgment unanimously struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme as unconstitutional, primarily on the ground that it violated which Fundamental Right?UPSC · Current Affairs
- The Supreme Court of India upheld the FCRA Amendment Act, 2020 as constitutionally valid in which landmark judgment?UPSC · Current Affairs
- In which case did the Supreme Court of India hold that live-streaming of court proceedings of constitutional and national importance is part of the right of access to justice?UPSC · 2026 · Polity