Current Affairs Today — April 14, 2026

🗞️ Today’s Headlines — April 14, 2026 Ambedkar Jayanti observed nationwide · Baisakhi and Khalsa Panth founding · RBI holds repo at 5.25% · SC on biometric voter verification · SC on electoral roll disputes (West Bengal) · Australia appoints first female Army Chief · North Korea conducts cruise & anti-ship missile tests · Kali Tiger Reserve in focus.

Baisakhi & the Founding of the Khalsa Panth

🗞️ Why in News April 14, 2026 (Vaisakhi Sankranti at 09:39 AM IST) marks Baisakhi / Vaisakhi — the Punjabi harvest festival and the anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh’s founding of the Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib in 1699.

Triple Significance

The Khalsa — Key Elements

• Panj Pyare (Five Beloved Ones): Daya Singh, Dharam Singh, Himmat Singh, Mohkam Singh, Sahib Singh — initiated through Amrit Sanchar (also called Khande di Pahul, “rite of the double-edged sword”) at Anandpur Sahib
• Five Ks (Panj Kakars): Kesh (uncut hair), Kanga (comb), Kara (steel bangle), Kachera (undergarment), Kirpan (sword)
• Core values: Equality, seva (selfless service), courage, community, anti-caste ideals — shared thematically with Ambedkar’s constitutional project

📌 Facts Corner Baisakhi 2026: Date: April 14, 2026 · Sankranti: 09:39 AM IST · Marks Khalsa founding (1699) by Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib · Harvest festival across North India · GS1: Art & Culture.

RBI Monetary Policy Committee — April 2026

🗞️ Why in News The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), chaired by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra, held the repo rate at 5.25% on April 8, 2026, maintaining a neutral policy stance amid inflation risks from the West Asia crisis.

Rates & Stance

Projections (FY 2026-27)

• GDP growth: 6.9%
• CPI inflation: 4.6% (Q1: 4.0% · Q2: 4.4% · Q3: 5.2% · Q4: 4.7%)

Key Risk Flagged

• West Asia supply chain disruption (Strait of Hormuz) pushing crude oil prices higher
• Rising input costs for manufacturing and transport; inflation pass-through risk if disruption persists

📌 Facts Corner MPC April 2026: Repo rate: 5.25% · Stance: Neutral · Governor: Sanjay Malhotra · GDP (FY27): 6.9% · CPI (FY27): 4.6% · MPC composition: 6 members (3 RBI + 3 external) under RBI Act Section 45ZB · GS3: Economy/Monetary Policy.

Supreme Court — Biometric Voter Verification Plea

🗞️ Why in News On April 13, 2026, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and state governments on a petition seeking fingerprint and biometric-based voter verification at polling stations.

Key Details

• Petitioner’s argument: Current voter ID system is vulnerable to impersonation; biometric linking would enhance electoral integrity
• ECI’s current position: Voter list purity is addressed through Form 6/7/8 updates, door-to-door verification, and Special Summary/Special Intensive Revision drives
• Constitutional basis: Article 324 (ECI’s power to supervise elections); Article 326 (universal adult suffrage)

The Digital Divide Concern

• UIDAI/Aadhaar biometric failure rate at authentication is ~3-6% nationally, higher for manual labourers (fingerprint wear) and the elderly (iris degradation)
• Mandatory biometric voting could disenfranchise these groups — raising Article 14/15 concerns

📌 Facts Corner Biometric Voter Verification Plea: Court: Supreme Court · Notices issued: April 13, 2026 · Respondents: ECI + states · Constitutional basis: Articles 324, 326 · Concern: Digital divide, Aadhaar authentication failure rates · GS2: Polity/Elections.

Supreme Court — Electoral Roll Rights (West Bengal)

🗞️ Why in News The Supreme Court, in proceedings on April 13-14, 2026, reaffirmed that Indian-born citizens have a constitutional right to remain on electoral rolls and to vote, in a matter arising from electoral roll management disputes in West Bengal.

Key Points

• The Court emphasised that the ECI’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process must follow due process and cannot result in arbitrary deletions
• Legal basis: Representation of the People Act, 1950 (Section 16 — disqualification from registration in electoral rolls); Rule 21 of Registration of Electors Rules 1960
• Relief: Directed ECI to ensure no eligible voter is excluded without opportunity to be heard

📌 Facts Corner Electoral Roll Rights: Constitutional guarantee: Article 326 (adult suffrage) · Legislative framework: RP Act 1950 (Section 16); Registration of Electors Rules 1960 · ECI’s SIR process must follow natural justice · GS2: Polity.

Australia Appoints First Female Army Chief

🗞️ Why in News Lieutenant General Susan Coyle was appointed the first female Chief of the Australian Army on April 14, 2026 — a historic milestone in the Army’s 125-year institutional history.

Key Details

• Coyle has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and East Timor; previously Deputy Chief of Joint Operations
• Appointment follows Australia’s 2024 Defence Strategic Review which prioritised gender diversity in command
• Part of a broader global trend — several Western militaries have elevated women to four-star ranks in the past decade

India Context

• India’s first female officer to command an operational army unit: Colonel Geeta Rana (2024) — first woman to command an EME unit at a forward location
• India’s first woman three-star officer: Air Marshal Padmavathy Bandopadhyay (2002) as Director General Medical Services (Air)

📌 Facts Corner First female Australian Army Chief: Appointee: Lt Gen Susan Coyle · Date: April 14, 2026 · 125-year milestone · Australia’s 2024 Defence Strategic Review prioritised gender diversity · GS2: IR/Security.

North Korea Missile Tests

🗞️ Why in News North Korea test-fired cruise missiles and anti-ship weapons from a naval destroyer in April 2026, signalling continued naval modernisation under Kim Jong-un’s “Byungjin” (parallel advancement of economy and nuclear force) strategy.

Regional Implications

• Tests violate UNSC Resolutions 1718, 1874, 2087, 2094, 2270 imposing sanctions on DPRK’s weapons programmes
• South Korea-Japan-US trilateral response expected via Camp David Principles (2023) coordination
• India’s stake: Impacts Indo-Pacific maritime security and affects denuclearisation diplomacy

📌 Facts Corner North Korea Missile Tests: Platform: Naval destroyer · Weapons: Cruise + anti-ship · Violates UNSC Resolutions 1718 (2006) onwards · Byungjin doctrine · Camp David Principles (US-Japan-ROK, 2023) · GS2: IR/Security.

Kali Tiger Reserve in Focus

🗞️ Why in News The Kali Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) featured in current affairs briefings as India’s tiger corridor network gains renewed attention ahead of the 2026 All-India Tiger Estimation cycle.

Geography & Ecology

• Location: Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka (Western Ghats, northern boundary)
• Notified: 2007 (merger of Anshi National Park + Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary)
• Area: ~1,300 sq km · Rivers: Kali, Kaneri, Tattihalla
• Keystone species: Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris — IUCN: Endangered; WPA 1972: Schedule I)
• Other fauna: Black panther, Indian bison (gaur), elephant, king cobra

Tiger Reserves in India (as of 2026)

• 58 notified tiger reserves under Project Tiger (1973) · Managed by NTCA (National Tiger Conservation Authority) under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (amended 2006)

📌 Facts Corner Kali Tiger Reserve: State: Karnataka · Location: Western Ghats (Uttara Kannada) · Notified: 2007 · Area: ~1,300 sq km · Project Tiger (1973) · NTCA under WPA 1972 (amended 2006) · India has 58 tiger reserves (2026) · GS3: Environment.

UPSC Relevance

📌 Facts Corner — Consolidated

Baisakhi 2026: April 14 · Khalsa Panth founded 1699 at Anandpur Sahib by Guru Gobind Singh · Five Ks: Kesh, Kanga, Kara, Kachera, Kirpan.

RBI MPC April 2026: Repo: 5.25% · Stance: Neutral · Governor: Sanjay Malhotra · GDP FY27: 6.9% · CPI FY27: 4.6%.

Biometric Voter Plea: Articles 324, 326 · RP Act 1950 · Digital divide concern.

Australia Army Chief: Lt Gen Susan Coyle — 1st female in 125-year history.

Kali Tiger Reserve: Karnataka · Western Ghats · Notified 2007 · Project Tiger 1973 · NTCA · 58 reserves.

North Korea: Cruise + anti-ship from destroyer · Violates UNSC Resolutions 1718-onwards.