Current Affairs Today, September 23, 2026, Complete News Roundup

🗞️ Why in News Beyond the deep dives on SEBI’s settlement with five Adani group companies, the CDSCO warning on painkillers and antibiotics and NHAI’s standards for high-speed corridors, the 23 September 2026 roundup covers the dissolution of the Digital Communications Commission, three Supreme Court decisions, the OPEC-India Energy Dialogue, core sector growth, Kavach 4.0, two air and naval exercises, and the day’s observances: International Day of Sign Languages, Ayurveda Day, eight years of Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY, Dinkar’s birth anniversary and the September equinox.

Digital Communications Commission Dissolved After 37 Years

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has dissolved the Digital Communications Commission (DCC), its apex decision-making body, through a resolution dated 19 September 2026 published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary) and effective from publication. The resolution gave no reasons, and the revised allocation of the Commission’s powers has not yet been published; reports say proposals will go to the Secretary, the Minister or the Cabinet depending on their scale, with some functions moving to DoT advisers.

Background. The body was created as the Telecom Commission on 11 April 1989, with executive and financial powers, to deal with telecom policy. It was renamed the Digital Communications Commission in October 2018 to implement the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018. It examined spectrum pricing, licensing and the recommendations of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) before they went to the Minister or the Union Cabinet.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• The Digital Communications Commission was dissolved by a DoT resolution dated 19 September 2026.
• It began as the Telecom Commission on 11 April 1989.
• It was renamed the DCC in October 2018 for the National Digital Communications Policy, 2018.
• Trap: the DCC was an executive body within DoT; TRAI is a statutory regulator under the TRAI Act, 1997.

Supreme Court Refuses to Revisit the 2018 SC/ST Act Amendment

On 22 September 2026, a Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana dismissed a PIL challenging the 2018 amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The Court noted that the amendment was already upheld, with safeguards against misuse, in Prathvi Raj Chauhan v. Union of India (2020), and declined to reconsider that ruling.

The background. In Subhash Kashinath Mahajan (March 2018), the Supreme Court had allowed anticipatory bail and required a preliminary enquiry and prior approval before arrest. Parliament responded by inserting Section 18A in August 2018, which removed the preliminary-enquiry and approval requirements and restored the bar on anticipatory bail (Section 18). In 2020 the Court upheld Section 18A, while noting that courts can still quash an FIR where no prima facie case is made out.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL against the 2018 SC/ST Act amendment on 22 September 2026.
• Section 18A removed the preliminary enquiry and prior approval before arrest, and kept anticipatory bail barred.
• Section 18A was upheld in Prathvi Raj Chauhan v. Union of India (2020).
• Parliament enacted it to undo Subhash Kashinath Mahajan (2018).
• Trap: Article 17 abolishes untouchability; the 1989 Act is a separate law against atrocities.

Supreme Court: A Widow’s Limited Estate Becomes Absolute Even Without Partition

A Bench of Justices S.V.N. Bhatti and N.V. Anjaria held on 22 September 2026 that a Hindu widow who acquired a limited interest in her husband’s property under the Hindu Women’s Rights to Property Act, 1937 becomes its absolute owner under Section 14(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, even if no partition took place. The case (Ganapati v. Prabhakar) came from the Karnataka High Court’s Dharwad Bench, involving a husband who died in 1949.

The Court relied on V. Tulasamma v. Sesha Reddy (1977) and Raghubar Singh v. Gulab Singh (1998), which read Section 14(1) broadly to enlarge a woman’s pre-existing limited interest into full ownership.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• Under Section 14(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, 1956, property possessed by a Hindu woman is held as full owner.
• The 1937 Act gave a widow only a limited interest in her husband’s property.
• Partition is not a precondition for the limited interest to become absolute, the Court held on 22 September 2026.
• V. Tulasamma (1977) is the leading case on the wide reading of Section 14(1).
• Trap: the 2005 amendment made daughters coparceners (Section 6); Section 14 concerns a woman’s own property.

Seven-Judge Bench Reserves Verdict on States’ Power to Levy Surcharge on Sales Tax

A seven-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant reserved judgment on 22 September 2026 on whether a State legislature can levy a surcharge or additional tax calculated on a validly levied sales tax. The reference dates from 1999, in Arjun Flour Mills v. State of Odisha, which challenged Section 5A of the Odisha Sales Tax Act, 1947 (inserted in 1997), imposing an additional tax of 10 per cent on dealers with turnover between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore and 15 per cent above it.

The constitutional question. Is such a levy within Entry 54 of the State List (taxes on the sale or purchase of goods), or does it trespass on a Union field such as Entry 82 of the Union List (taxes on income)? The Solicitor General told the Bench that the reference arose from an apparent conflict between S. Kodar v. State of Kerala, a five-judge ruling, and Hoechst Pharmaceuticals (1983), a three-judge ruling that upheld a similar surcharge; India Cement (1989), a seven-judge ruling that struck down a cess on royalty as outside the State’s legislative field, added a further strand. (India Cement’s separate holding that royalty is a tax was overruled by a nine-judge Bench in Mineral Area Development Authority v. SAIL, 2024.)

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• A seven-judge Bench reserved judgment on 22 September 2026 on States’ power to levy a surcharge on sales tax.
• The reference was made in 1999 in Arjun Flour Mills v. State of Odisha.
• Entry 54, List II: taxes on sale or purchase of goods (after GST, limited to petroleum products and alcohol for human consumption).
• Entry 82, List I: taxes on income other than agricultural income.
• Trap: the case concerns the pre-GST sales tax regime; its reasoning still matters for State taxing powers.

Seventh OPEC-India Energy Dialogue

The 7th High-Level Meeting of the OPEC-India Energy Dialogue was held on 22 September 2026, co-chaired by Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and OPEC Secretary General Haitham Al Ghais. The two sides discussed oil market stability, energy security and the need for timely investment across the oil industry, and agreed to hold the 8th meeting in Vienna.

Background. The dialogue was launched in New Delhi in 2015. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was founded in 1960 at Baghdad and is headquartered in Vienna. India is the world’s third-largest oil consumer and imports most of its crude.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• The 7th OPEC-India Energy Dialogue met on 22 September 2026; the 8th will be in Vienna.
• The dialogue was launched in 2015 in New Delhi.
• OPEC was founded in 1960 at Baghdad; its headquarters is in Vienna.
• Trap: OPEC+ includes non-OPEC producers such as Russia; OPEC itself does not.

Core Sector Grows 4.8 Per Cent in August 2026

The Index of Eight Core Industries, now the Index of Core Industries (ICI) with base year 2022-23, grew 4.8 per cent in August 2026 (provisional), released on 21 September by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT. July’s growth was revised down from 5.4 to 5.0 per cent. Growth for April-August 2026 was 4.3 per cent, against 2.4 per cent a year earlier.

The 2022-23 series covers nine industries, including iron ore. Electricity carries the highest weight (30.932), followed by refinery products (22.572) and steel (17.584).

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• The Index of Core Industries grew 4.8 per cent in August 2026; April-August growth was 4.3 per cent.
• The ICI now has base year 2022-23 and nine industries, including iron ore.
• Electricity has the largest weight in the ICI (30.932).
• The ICI is released by the Office of the Economic Adviser, DPIIT, not by MoSPI.
• Trap: the IIP is compiled by the NSO (MoSPI); the core index is a separate, earlier release.

Kavach 4.0 Commissioned on South Central Railway

Indian Railways commissioned Kavach Version 4.0 on South Central Railway for the first time, over 108 route km of the Malkajgiri-Kamareddi section of the Hyderabad Division, announced on 23 September 2026. It upgrades Version 3.2, which already runs over 1,465 route km on the zone.

What changed. Version 4.0 offers better location accuracy, better signal information in large yards, a station-to-station interface over optical fibre cable, and a direct interface with electronic interlocking. Kavach is an indigenous Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system that applies the brakes if the loco pilot fails to, prevents Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD) and helps avoid collisions. It is certified to Safety Integrity Level 4 (SIL-4), the highest level.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• Kavach 4.0 was commissioned on 108 route km (Malkajgiri-Kamareddi) of South Central Railway.
• Kavach is an indigenous Automatic Train Protection system certified to SIL-4.
• It prevents Signal Passing at Danger and applies brakes automatically when needed.
• Trap: Kavach was developed by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) with Indian industry; it is not an imported system.

SLINEX-26 at Visakhapatnam; Tarang Shakti-26 Scheduled

SLINEX-26, the 13th edition of the Sri Lanka-India bilateral maritime exercise, was conducted at Visakhapatnam from 17 to 21 September 2026, with INS Kavaratti (an indigenous anti-submarine warfare corvette) and the fleet tanker INS Jyoti, and SLNS Sindurala of the Sri Lanka Navy. Conceived in 2005, the exercise was this year aligned with India’s MAHASAGAR vision.

Tarang Shakti-26, the Indian Air Force’s second multinational air exercise, is scheduled at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 26 September to 12 October 2026, with air forces from eight countries, the United States, France, Germany, Greece, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the UAE, expected to take part and about 30 more nations as observers. The first edition was held in 2024.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• SLINEX is the India-Sri Lanka naval exercise; SLINEX-26 (13th edition) was at Visakhapatnam, 17-21 September.
• Tarang Shakti-26 is the IAF’s multinational air exercise, scheduled at Jodhpur from 26 September.
• MAHASAGAR: Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
• Trap: SLINEX is naval; Mitra Shakti is the India-Sri Lanka army exercise.

International Day of Sign Languages

The International Day of Sign Languages is observed on 23 September; the 2026 theme is “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights”. The date marks the founding of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) on 23 September 1951, so 2026 is its 75th anniversary. The day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2017 and first observed in 2018; it falls within the International Week of Deaf People, the last full week of September (21 to 27 September in 2026).

India. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 requires the government to promote sign language. The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), set up in 2015 under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, develops and standardises Indian Sign Language (ISL), and the National Education Policy 2020 calls for standardising ISL across the country.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• International Day of Sign Languages: 23 September; 2026 theme “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights”.
• The date marks the founding of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951.
• ISLRTC (2015) works under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.
• Trap: the International Week of Deaf People is the last full week of September; the Day is fixed on 23 September.

11th Ayurveda Day: “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow”

The Ministry of Ayush is celebrating the 11th Ayurveda Day on 23 September 2026 at Nagpur, with the theme “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow”. The programme is to launch the first report on the Ayush services sector by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), the report “Ayush Vision 2030”, safety dossiers on Gokshura and Chandrasura, and the CCRAS-AGNI assessment scale portal.

Background. Ayurveda Day was first observed in 2016 on Dhanvantari Jayanti (Dhanteras), a date that moved every year. From 2025 it has been fixed on 23 September.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• 11th Ayurveda Day: 23 September 2026, Nagpur; theme “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow”.
• Ayurveda Day has a fixed date, 23 September, from 2025; earlier it was held on Dhanteras.
• CCRAS is the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, under the Ministry of Ayush.
• Trap: National Unani Day (11 February) and Siddha Day are separate Ayush observances.

Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY Completes Eight Years

Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) completed eight years on 23 September 2026; it was launched at Ranchi on 23 September 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said more than 60 crore beneficiaries now have access to Rs 5 lakh annual health cover, and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have recorded more than 500 crore visits.

Background. PM-JAY provides cashless secondary and tertiary hospital care of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year, implemented by the National Health Authority. The other pillar, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (formerly Health and Wellness Centres), strengthens primary care. In 2024 coverage was extended to all citizens aged 70 and above, irrespective of income, through the Ayushman Vay Vandana card.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• PM-JAY was launched at Ranchi on 23 September 2018; it covers Rs 5 lakh per family per year.
• More than 60 crore beneficiaries are covered, per the Prime Minister on 23 September 2026.
• PM-JAY is implemented by the National Health Authority.
• Trap: Ayushman Arogya Mandirs provide primary care; PM-JAY covers secondary and tertiary hospitalisation.

Ramdhari Singh Dinkar: Birth Anniversary

Ramdhari Singh “Dinkar” (23 September 1908, Simaria, Bihar), remembered as Rashtrakavi, was born on this day. His works include Rashmirathi, Kurukshetra, Parashuram ki Pratiksha and Sanskriti ke Char Adhyay, which won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1959. He received the Jnanpith Award in 1972 for Urvashi and the Padma Bhushan in 1959, and was a member of the Rajya Sabha from 1952 to 1964. The Prime Minister paid tribute on 23 September 2026.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• Dinkar won the Jnanpith Award (1972) for Urvashi.
• Sanskriti ke Char Adhyay won the Sahitya Akademi Award (1959).
• Trap: Rashmirathi retells the story of Karna; Kurukshetra is a reflection on war.

The September Equinox

The September equinox fell at 00:05 UTC (05:35 IST) on 23 September 2026. At the equinox the Sun is directly overhead at the Equator and day and night are nearly equal everywhere. It marks the start of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere; after it, the Sun appears to move south towards the Tropic of Capricorn, reached at the December solstice.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

• At an equinox the Sun is overhead at the Equator; day and night are nearly equal worldwide.
• The September equinox (about 23 September) is the autumnal equinox of the Northern Hemisphere.
• Trap: the equinox date varies between 22 and 23 September because the calendar year does not match the solar year exactly.

Also in the News

MHA declares the Shahzad Bhatti Network a terrorist organisation (16 September 2026). The Ministry of Home Affairs declared the Shahzad Bhatti Network a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, citing smuggling of arms, explosives and narcotics across borders, recruitment of youth and petty criminals into terrorism, and hateful online content. Designated organisations are listed in the First Schedule of the UAPA.

NITI Aayog’s India Electric Mobility Index 2025 (released 16 September 2026). The second edition of the India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) showed 29 of 36 States and UTs have notified EV policies. The highest State score rose from 77 to 84 (Delhi tops the index) and the median from 36 to 40. Government support for electric mobility totals over Rs 92,000 crore, through FAME, PM E-DRIVE, PM e-Bus Sewa and PLI schemes for automobiles and Advanced Chemistry Cell batteries.

Health Ministry advisory on stem-cell therapy (16 September 2026). Following, as background, the Supreme Court’s judgment in Yash Charitable Trust v. Union of India (30 January 2026), the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare advised States under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 that stem-cell therapy is permitted as routine care only for approved indications; its use in autism stays restricted to approved clinical trials, per the ICMR-DBT National Guidelines for Stem Cell Research, 2017.

51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur (17 September 2026). Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha, the State’s third after Gopalpur and Paradip. India had 14 such radars in 2014; about 40 more are planned under Mission Mausam, the Minister said.

Farmers paid for soil carbon (17 September 2026). ICAR Director General M.L. Jat initiated direct benefit transfers to 2,550 farmers in Punjab and Haryana under “Aadi”, a farmer carbon programme run since 2019 by the firm Grow Indigo with ICAR’s technical guidance. Farmers earned verified carbon credits under the Verra VM0042 methodology for direct-seeded rice, reduced tillage and crop-residue management.

Biometric Aadhaar check for subsidised LPG from 1 October (announced 19 September 2026). From 1 October 2026, domestic LPG consumers must complete Biometric Aadhaar Authentication to book subsidised refills at the regulated price. As of 19 September, 27.43 crore consumers (89.9 per cent) had done so. Those who opt out can buy LPG at market price, without subsidy, in 5 kg or 10 kg cylinders.

DDU-GKY 2.0 batches from October (19 September 2026). The Ministry of Rural Development said the first 1,164 batches of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana 2.0, with 34,920 rural youth, will begin training in October 2026 in 14 States and UTs. DDU-GKY is a centrally sponsored, placement-linked skilling scheme for poor rural youth.

📌 Facts Corner, Knowledgepedia

Prelims, statement-ready facts:

• The Digital Communications Commission (Telecom Commission, 1989) was dissolved by a DoT resolution of 19 September 2026.
• The Supreme Court refused to revisit Section 18A of the SC/ST Act, upheld in Prathvi Raj Chauhan (2020).
• Under Section 14(1) of the Hindu Succession Act, a widow’s limited interest becomes absolute even without partition.
• A seven-judge Bench reserved judgment on States’ power to levy a surcharge on sales tax (Entry 54, List II).
• The Index of Core Industries (base 2022-23, nine industries) grew 4.8 per cent in August 2026.
• Kavach 4.0 is running on 108 route km of South Central Railway.
• International Day of Sign Languages 2026 theme: “Declaring Deaf People’s Human Rights”.
• 11th Ayurveda Day theme: “Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow”; national event at Nagpur.
• PM-JAY was launched on 23 September 2018; it gives Rs 5 lakh cover per family per year.
• India has 51 Doppler Weather Radars; about 40 more are planned under Mission Mausam.
• IEMI 2025 (NITI Aayog): 29 of 36 States and UTs have EV policies.

Prelims, the traps:

• The ICI is released by DPIIT; the IIP by the NSO.
• SLINEX is a naval exercise with Sri Lanka; Tarang Shakti is the IAF’s multinational air exercise.
• Organisations banned under the UAPA are listed in its First Schedule.
• The September equinox is autumnal for the Northern Hemisphere.

Mains, arguments and keywords:

• Dissolving the DCC ends commission-style collective scrutiny of telecom proposals; the test is whether the new allocation of powers keeps checks while speeding decisions.
• The Supreme Court’s refusal to reopen Section 18A reflects deference to Parliament on protective legislation for vulnerable groups.
• Keywords: Section 18A, Section 14(1), Entry 54, fiscal federalism, ATP, SIL-4, Mission Mausam, Biometric Aadhaar Authentication.

Interview, be ready for:

• “Should biometric Aadhaar checks be mandatory for LPG subsidy?” They cut diversion and duplicate connections, but an opt-out and assisted authentication must protect the elderly and those whose fingerprints fail.

Source: Current Affairs Today, September 23, 2026, Complete News Roundup — Ujiyari.com | Free UPSC & State PCS Current Affairs