Welcome to the Ujiyari Rajasthan Current Affairs notes for 9 September 2026, prepared for the RPSC RAS Prelims and Mains and other Rajasthan government examinations. Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on 7 September 2026, with the oath administered by Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde. Voting for Phase 1 of the statewide Urban Local Body elections began at 7 a.m. on 9 September across 162 ULBs in 39 districts, with about 57.52 lakh voters deciding the fate of 20,623 candidates for 5,393 wards; Phase 2 is on 11 September and counting for both phases on 14 September. The Indian Air Force announced that it will host Dronathon-2026 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer from 14 to 16 September 2026, showcasing indigenous UAS and Counter-UAS. A Supreme Court bench led by CJI Surya Kant on 7 September rejected the Aravalli High-Powered Committee’s request for a six-month extension and fixed 30 November 2026 as a non-extendable deadline for its final report. Each item carries a Prelims fact set and a Mains angle, followed by five practice MCQs.

1. Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal Sworn In as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court

Why in News: On 7 September 2026, Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal was sworn in as the Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. The oath was administered by Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended his elevation on 31 August 2026, and the Centre notified the appointment on Saturday, 5 September 2026. Justice Agrawal previously performed duties as Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. His appointment ended a period during which the Rajasthan High Court Bar Association had been on work-abstention demanding a permanent Chief Justice against Acting CJ Sanjeev Prakash Sharma.

The constitutional frame. Article 217 governs appointment of High Court judges by the President after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, the Governor of the State and the Chief Justice of the High Court concerned. The Governor administers the oath under Article 219 read with the Third Schedule.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on 7 September 2026 by Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde.
  • Prelims: The Supreme Court Collegium recommended the elevation on 31 August 2026; the Centre notified the appointment on 5 September 2026.
  • Prelims: Rajasthan High Court’s principal seat is at Jodhpur, with a Bench at Jaipur (established 1976).
  • Prelims: Article 217 governs appointment of HC judges; Article 219 governs oath, administered by the Governor.
  • Mains: The Collegium-notification cycle and the Bar Association work-abstention as symptoms of appointment-delay pressures; the case for defined MoP timelines on state responses to Chief Justice appointments (GS Paper 2 judiciary).

Source: LiveLaw

2. Phase 1 of Rajasthan Urban Local Body Elections: 162 ULBs in 39 Districts

Why in News: Voting for Phase 1 of Rajasthan’s Urban Local Body (ULB) general elections began at 7 a.m. on 9 September 2026 across 162 ULBs in 39 districts, covering 131 municipalities, 27 municipal councils and 4 municipal corporations (Bharatpur, Alwar, Bikaner and Bhilwara). About 57.52 lakh voters are eligible to decide the fate of 20,623 candidates contesting 5,393 wards across 7,067 polling booths at 6,930 premises. Phase 2 is scheduled for 11 September and counting for both phases is on 14 September.

The statewide scale. Elections cover 309 ULBs in all: 10 municipal corporations, 47 municipal councils and 252 municipalities (nagar palikas). This is the first time the entire state ULB election has been compressed into a single simultaneous exercise.

The constitutional frame. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 provides constitutional status to urban local bodies and mandates their conduct by the State Election Commission under Article 243ZA, distinct from the Election Commission of India.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Phase 1 of Rajasthan ULB elections was on 9 September 2026 across 162 ULBs in 39 districts (131 municipalities + 27 councils + 4 corporations).
  • Prelims: The four municipal corporations in Phase 1 are Bharatpur, Alwar, Bikaner and Bhilwara.
  • Prelims: Phase 1 electorate is 57.52 lakh; 20,623 candidates are contesting 5,393 wards; Phase 2 is 11 September and counting is 14 September.
  • Prelims: Statewide total is 309 ULBs (10 corporations + 47 councils + 252 municipalities), with 10,245 councillor posts.
  • Prelims: The 74th CAA, 1992 provides constitutional status to urban local bodies; conducted by the State Election Commission under Article 243ZA.
  • Mains: Simultaneous statewide ULB elections as a governance reform in electoral logistics, and the constitutional distinction between the State Election Commission (Article 243ZA) and the Election Commission of India (GS Paper 2 local governance).

Sources: India TV News and ThePrint

3. IAF Dronathon-2026 at Pokhran Field Firing Range, 14 to 16 September

Why in News: On 8 September 2026, the Indian Air Force announced that it will host Dronathon-2026 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan from 14 to 16 September 2026. The three-day event will bring together domestic manufacturers, start-ups and innovators to showcase indigenous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS (CUAS) through static displays and live demonstrations. The IAF said the platform will help identify contemporary solutions and evaluate their combat effectiveness, aligned with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.

Focus areas. Surveillance and reconnaissance, autonomous operations, swarm drone technology and electronic warfare.

Why Pokhran. The Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer district’s Thar Desert has been India’s primary desert test range. It was also the site of the nuclear tests Pokhran-I on 18 May 1974 (Smiling Buddha) and Pokhran-II on 11 and 13 May 1998 (Operation Shakti). Its unrestricted airspace and terrain make it ideal for live-fire drone and counter-drone testing.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Dronathon-2026 will be held at the Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer from 14 to 16 September 2026.
  • Prelims: The event will showcase indigenous UAS and Counter-UAS, with focus on swarm technologies and electronic warfare.
  • Prelims: Pokhran was the site of Pokhran-I (18 May 1974, Smiling Buddha) and Pokhran-II (11 and 13 May 1998, Operation Shakti).
  • Prelims: The Konark Corps (XII Corps) of the Indian Army, headquartered at Jodhpur under the South Western Command (HQ Jaipur), operates in the Rajasthan desert sector.
  • Mains: Drones and counter-drones as the pivot technology of contemporary warfare (lessons from Ukraine and Nagorno-Karabakh); the industry-user convergence template that Dronathon represents (GS Paper 3 defence).

Source: Greater Kashmir

4. Supreme Court Fixes 30 November 2026 Deadline for Aravalli High-Powered Committee

Why in News: On 7 September 2026, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant rejected the request of the five-member Aravalli High-Powered Committee for a six-month extension (till 28 February 2027) to submit its final report on defining and protecting the Aravalli Hills and Ranges. The Court instead fixed 30 November 2026 as a non-extendable deadline and directed the panel to work “day and night”. Chief Justice Surya Kant warned that if the panel could not finish in the time given, “we will reconstitute the whole panel”. The Aravalli Virasat Jan Abhiyaan citizens’ group warned that a rushed assessment risks repeating past errors given the range’s ecological, hydrological and cultural complexity.

Why Rajasthan matters here. Roughly 80 per cent of the total length of the Aravalli range lies in Rajasthan. The range runs about 692 km from Palanpur in Gujarat, through Rajasthan and Haryana, to the Delhi Ridge. Guru Shikhar at 1,722 m in Mount Abu, Rajasthan is the highest peak.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: A bench led by CJI Surya Kant (with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana) fixed 30 November 2026 as a non-extendable deadline for the Aravalli HPC report on 7 September 2026.
  • Prelims: The HPC had sought a six-month extension to 28 February 2027; the Court refused and warned it would reconstitute the committee on failure.
  • Prelims: The Aravalli range spans Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat; roughly 80 per cent of the total length is in Rajasthan.
  • Prelims: The Aravalli is the oldest fold mountain system in India (Proterozoic era, Aravalli-Delhi orogeny); Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) in Mount Abu is the highest peak.
  • Prelims: The Committee is chaired by Kanchan Devi, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE).
  • Mains: Judicial supervision of executive expert committees as a governance mechanism, and the trade-off between deadline discipline and technical thoroughness in ecological assessment (GS Paper 2 judicial oversight, GS Paper 3 environment).

Source: Down To Earth

5. Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 Begins with Rajasthan WCD Rollout

Why in News: The 9th edition of Rashtriya Poshan Maah began on 9 September 2026 with a national launch at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The 2026 theme is “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari”, placing community ownership of Anganwadi Centres at the centre of the campaign. The month-long observance focuses on Anganwadi Centres, dietary diversity, protein-rich foods, healthy meals, community participation, early childhood development and maternal nutrition. It also commemorates 10 years of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY).

Rajasthan’s implementation. Rajasthan implements Poshan Maah through the Directorate of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under the Women and Child Development Department, running Anganwadi-level activities on nutrition literacy, growth monitoring, WASH and PMMVY enrolment throughout September.

Rajasthan Relevance:

  • Prelims: Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026 is the 9th edition, launched on 9 September 2026 at Varanasi; the theme is “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari”.
  • Prelims: The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Women and Child Development; the umbrella programme is POSHAN Abhiyaan (launched 2018), now under Mission Poshan 2.0.
  • Prelims: PMMVY (Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, launched 2017) provides Rs 5,000 in three instalments for the first live birth; it marks 10 years in 2026.
  • Prelims: Rajasthan implementation runs through the state Directorate of ICDS under the WCD Department.
  • Prelims: Rajasthan’s NFHS-5 (2019-21) data recorded stunting at 31.8 per cent, wasting at 16.8 per cent and underweight at 27.6 per cent for children under 5 years, all above the national average.
  • Mains: Convergence architecture of nutrition delivery (ICDS + PMMVY + POSHAN Abhiyaan) and the last-mile Anganwadi worker as the load-bearing tier (GS Paper 2 welfare schemes).

Source: News24 Online

Practice MCQs

1. Who was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on 7 September 2026, and who administered the oath?

a) Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma; administered by CJI Surya Kant b) Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal; administered by Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde c) Justice Rajesh Bindal; administered by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma d) Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra; administered by Governor Kalraj Mishra

Answer: b

Explanation: Justice Sanjay Kumar Agrawal was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court on 7 September 2026. The oath was administered by Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde under Article 219 read with the Third Schedule. The Supreme Court Collegium recommended his elevation on 31 August 2026, and the Centre notified the appointment on 5 September 2026. Justice Agrawal had previously performed duties as Chief Justice of the Chhattisgarh High Court. Article 217 governs appointment of HC judges by the President after consultation with the CJI, the Governor and the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court. The Rajasthan High Court’s principal seat is at Jodhpur, with a Bench at Jaipur established in 1976.

2. Phase 1 of Rajasthan’s statewide Urban Local Body elections on 9 September 2026 covered how many ULBs in how many districts, and which four municipal corporations went to poll?

a) 100 ULBs in 25 districts; Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Kota b) 162 ULBs in 39 districts; Bharatpur, Alwar, Bikaner and Bhilwara c) 200 ULBs in 45 districts; Jaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner and Kota d) 309 ULBs in 33 districts; Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer and Udaipur

Answer: b

Explanation: Voting for Phase 1 of Rajasthan’s statewide Urban Local Body general elections began at 7 a.m. on 9 September 2026 across 162 ULBs in 39 districts, covering 131 municipalities, 27 municipal councils and 4 municipal corporations (Bharatpur, Alwar, Bikaner and Bhilwara). About 57.52 lakh voters were eligible to decide the fate of 20,623 candidates contesting 5,393 wards. Phase 2 is scheduled for 11 September and counting for both phases is on 14 September. Statewide, elections cover 309 ULBs (10 corporations, 47 municipal councils and 252 municipalities). The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 provides constitutional status to urban local bodies; conducted by the State Election Commission under Article 243ZA, distinct from the ECI.

3. The Indian Air Force’s Dronathon-2026, announced on 8 September 2026, is scheduled at which venue and on which dates?

a) Kalaikunda Air Force Station, 10-12 September 2026 b) Jaisalmer city, 14-16 September 2026 c) Pokhran Field Firing Range, 14 to 16 September 2026 d) Sri Ganganagar, 20-22 September 2026

Answer: c

Explanation: The Indian Air Force will host Dronathon-2026 at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, from 14 to 16 September 2026. The three-day event will bring together domestic manufacturers, start-ups and innovators to showcase indigenous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and Counter-UAS through static displays and live demonstrations, with focus areas covering surveillance and reconnaissance, autonomous operations, swarm drone technology and electronic warfare. Pokhran was the site of Pokhran-I on 18 May 1974 (Smiling Buddha) and Pokhran-II on 11 and 13 May 1998 (Operation Shakti). The Konark Corps (XII Corps) of the Indian Army, headquartered at Jodhpur, operates in the Rajasthan desert sector under the South Western Command.

4. On 7 September 2026, the Supreme Court fixed which non-extendable deadline for the Aravalli High-Powered Committee?

a) 31 October 2026 b) 30 November 2026 c) 31 January 2027 d) 28 February 2027

Answer: b

Explanation: A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, on 7 September 2026, rejected the Aravalli High-Powered Committee’s request for a six-month extension to 28 February 2027 and instead fixed 30 November 2026 as a non-extendable deadline for its final report on defining and protecting the Aravalli range. The Court directed the panel to work “day and night.” The Court warned that it would reconstitute the panel if the report was not filed in time. The Committee is chaired by Kanchan Devi, Director General of ICFRE. Roughly 80 per cent of the Aravalli range lies in Rajasthan; Guru Shikhar at 1,722 m in Mount Abu is the highest peak. The Aravalli is the oldest fold mountain system in India (Proterozoic era, Aravalli-Delhi orogeny), and the range spans Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi and Gujarat.

5. Rashtriya Poshan Maah 2026, launched on 9 September 2026 at Varanasi, has which theme, and it marks how many years of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY)?

a) “Poshan Bhi, Padhai Bhi”; 5 years of PMMVY b) “Anganwadi Vikas, Bharat Vikas”; 15 years of PMMVY c) “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari”; 10 years of PMMVY d) “Suposhit Bharat”; 20 years of PMMVY

Answer: c

Explanation: The 9th edition of Rashtriya Poshan Maah began on 9 September 2026 with a national launch at Varanasi. The 2026 theme is “Hamari Anganwadi, Hamari Jimmedari” (“Our Anganwadi, Our Responsibility”), placing community ownership of Anganwadi Centres at the centre of the campaign. The month-long observance also commemorates 10 years of Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), launched in 2017, which provides Rs 5,000 in three instalments for the first live birth. The nodal ministry is the Ministry of Women and Child Development; the umbrella programme is POSHAN Abhiyaan (launched 2018), now under Mission Poshan 2.0. Rajasthan implements Poshan Maah through the Directorate of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under the state Women and Child Development Department, running Anganwadi-level activities on nutrition literacy, growth monitoring and PMMVY enrolment.