Welcome to the Ujiyari Madhya Pradesh Current Affairs notes for 31 July 2026, prepared for MPPSC and other State PCS aspirants. Today’s edition covers the Khargone Sessions Court’s acquittal of all 11 accused in the 2022 Ram Navami communal violence case, the Datia assembly bypoll’s high voter turnout as counting awaits, and the state Cabinet’s Rs 2,480-crore package for sports infrastructure, irrigation, digital governance and administrative training. Each item is paired with a Prelims fact table and a Mains angle, followed by five practice MCQs.
1. Khargone Court Acquits All 11 Accused in 2022 Ram Navami Violence Case
Why in News: Fourth Additional Sessions Judge Mukesh Nath, Khargone, acquitted all 11 accused in the 2022 Khargone Ram Navami communal violence case on 27 July 2026, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Background: The case arose from communal violence during a Ram Navami procession in Khargone on 10 April 2022, in which one person was killed and the district administration subsequently demolished a number of properties belonging to the accused community as part of its response. The 2026 judgment found major evidentiary gaps in the prosecution’s case: eight of the 13 prosecution witnesses, including most complainants, turned hostile during trial and failed to identify any of the accused in court. The case relied heavily on a single eyewitness whose statement was recorded 51 days after the incident without explanation, and whose name did not appear in the original police complaint. Forensic examination also found no traces of petrol, diesel or kerosene on seized material, undermining the allegation that petrol bombs had been used. The verdict is being read as a significant comment on the evidentiary standards applied in the original investigation and the subsequent demolition response.
Madhya Pradesh Relevance:
- Prelims: Judgment delivered 27 July 2026; Fourth Additional Sessions Judge, Khargone; underlying incident: Ram Navami procession violence, Khargone, 10 April 2022; all 11 accused acquitted; 8 of 13 prosecution witnesses turned hostile.
- Mains: Discuss the evidentiary standards required for criminal conviction under Indian law, and the administrative and constitutional questions raised when punitive demolition action precedes a final judicial finding of guilt.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Judgment date | 27 July 2026 |
| Court | Fourth Additional Sessions Judge, Khargone |
| Underlying incident | Ram Navami procession violence, Khargone, 10 April 2022 |
| Outcome | All 11 accused acquitted |
| Key evidentiary gap | 8 of 13 prosecution witnesses turned hostile; key eyewitness statement recorded 51 days late |
| Forensic finding | No petrol/diesel/kerosene traces on seized material |
2. Datia Assembly Bypoll Records State’s Highest Turnout Among Three Simultaneous Seats
Why in News: Voting was held on 30 July 2026 for the Datia assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, one of three assembly bypolls conducted simultaneously with Bankipur (Bihar) and Manjalpur (Gujarat), recording the highest voter turnout among the three constituencies.
Background: The Datia bypoll recorded a voter turnout of 71.44 per cent, markedly higher than Bihar’s Bankipur (34.30 per cent) and Gujarat’s Manjalpur (37.5 per cent). Counting for all three bypolls was scheduled for 3 August 2026. The by-election was necessitated by the disqualification of sitting Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti following a fraud conviction; the principal contest was reported between the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ashutosh Tiwari and Indian National Congress’s Ghanshyam Singh, with an Azad Samaj Party candidate also in the field. High turnout in bypolls is often read by political analysts as an indicator of intensified local mobilisation, though the relationship between turnout and eventual result is not deterministic.
Madhya Pradesh Relevance:
- Prelims: Datia bypoll voting held 30 July 2026; turnout 71.44 per cent, the highest among the three simultaneous bypolls (Datia, Bankipur in Bihar, Manjalpur in Gujarat); counting scheduled for 3 August 2026.
- Mains: Examine what voter turnout in a bypoll can and cannot reliably indicate about electoral outcomes and local political mobilisation.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Constituency | Datia assembly seat |
| Voting date | 30 July 2026 |
| Turnout | 71.44 per cent (highest among the three simultaneous bypolls) |
| Other simultaneous bypolls | Bankipur (Bihar, 34.30%), Manjalpur (Gujarat, 37.5%) |
| Counting date | Scheduled 3 August 2026 |
3. Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Approves Rs 2,480-Crore Infrastructure and Welfare Package
Why in News: The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, approved a package of projects and schemes worth approximately Rs 2,480 crore at a meeting held on 28 July 2026.
Background: The package spans several distinct sectors. For sports infrastructure, the Cabinet gave in-principle approval of Rs 18.74 crore for hosting the Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 in Bhopal in October 2026. For irrigation, it approved Rs 111.04 crore for the continued operation of the Rihand Micro Irrigation Project in Singrauli district for the five-year period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. For digital governance, Rs 110 crore was approved under the Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation (MPSEDC) and Other Institutions Assistance Scheme, covering AI and machine-learning-based business intelligence tools, WhatsApp chatbots for citizen services, drone services, e-sign services, a state email policy, low-code/no-code development platforms and cybersecurity audit infrastructure. For administrative training, the Cabinet approved Rs 129.12 crore for the continued functioning of the RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration and Management through March 2031.
Madhya Pradesh Relevance:
- Prelims: Cabinet meeting 28 July 2026, chaired by CM Mohan Yadav; total package approximately Rs 2,480 crore; Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 hosting approval Rs 18.74 crore (Bhopal, October 2026); Rihand Micro Irrigation Project (Singrauli) Rs 111.04 crore, FY2026-31; MPSEDC digital governance assistance Rs 110 crore; RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration and Management Rs 129.12 crore, through March 2031.
- Mains: Discuss the role of dedicated digital-governance assistance schemes, such as the MPSEDC package covering AI-based citizen services, in strengthening last-mile administrative delivery at the state level.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cabinet meeting date | 28 July 2026 |
| Total package | Approximately Rs 2,480 crore |
| Sports infrastructure | Rs 18.74 crore, Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026, Bhopal |
| Irrigation | Rs 111.04 crore, Rihand Micro Irrigation Project, Singrauli, FY2026-31 |
| Digital governance | Rs 110 crore, MPSEDC and Other Institutions Assistance Scheme |
| Administrative training | Rs 129.12 crore, RCVP Noronha Academy, through March 2031 |
Practice MCQs
1. The 2022 Khargone Ram Navami violence case, in which all 11 accused were acquitted on 27 July 2026, involved communal violence on what date?
a) 10 April 2022 b) 15 August 2022 c) 26 January 2022 d) 2 October 2022
Answer: a
Explanation: The underlying communal violence occurred during a Ram Navami procession in Khargone on 10 April 2022. The Fourth Additional Sessions Judge, Khargone, acquitted all 11 accused on 27 July 2026, finding that 8 of 13 prosecution witnesses had turned hostile and that a key eyewitness’s statement was recorded 51 days after the incident without explanation.
2. What was the key forensic finding that undermined the prosecution’s case in the 2026 Khargone acquittal judgment?
a) DNA evidence did not match any of the accused b) No traces of petrol, diesel or kerosene were found on seized material c) CCTV footage showed the accused were elsewhere d) Fingerprint analysis was inconclusive
Answer: b
Explanation: Forensic examination found no traces of petrol, diesel or kerosene on the material seized as evidence, weakening the prosecution’s allegation that petrol bombs had been used during the 2022 violence, one of several evidentiary gaps that led to the acquittal of all 11 accused.
3. Among the three simultaneous assembly bypolls held on 30 July 2026 (Datia, Bankipur, Manjalpur), which recorded the highest voter turnout?
a) Bankipur (Bihar) b) Manjalpur (Gujarat) c) Datia (Madhya Pradesh) d) All three recorded identical turnout
Answer: c
Explanation: The Datia assembly bypoll in Madhya Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 71.44 per cent, markedly higher than Bihar’s Bankipur (34.30 per cent) and Gujarat’s Manjalpur (37.5 per cent), with counting for all three seats scheduled for 3 August 2026.
4. The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet’s 28 July 2026 approval of Rs 18.74 crore was for hosting which sporting event in Bhopal?
a) Khelo India Youth Games 2026 b) Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 c) National Games 2026 d) Asian Athletics Championships 2026
Answer: b
Explanation: The Cabinet gave in-principle approval of Rs 18.74 crore for hosting the Women’s Asian Hockey Champions Trophy 2026 in Bhopal in October 2026, as part of a broader Rs 2,480-crore package covering irrigation, digital governance and administrative training.
5. The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet’s Rs 110-crore digital governance approval on 28 July 2026 was routed through which institution?
a) Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation (MPSEDC) b) National Informatics Centre (NIC) c) Madhya Pradesh Agency for Promotion of Information Technology (MAP_IT) d) Digital India Corporation
Answer: a
Explanation: The Rs 110-crore digital governance approval was made under the Madhya Pradesh State Electronics Development Corporation (MPSEDC) and Other Institutions Assistance Scheme, covering AI and machine-learning-based business intelligence tools, WhatsApp chatbots, drone services, e-sign services, a state email policy, low-code/no-code platforms and cybersecurity audit infrastructure.
