January 2026
In short: India's governance, law & order and appointments this month — distilled for SI/Constable Prelims.
Current Affairs — India › Polity & Governance · 24 min read · Free to read · English & Telugu
Bilingual study notes for the Andhra Pradesh Police SI & Constable exams (SLPRB AP) by AP Police Hub, a product of Anvil Academy.
A packed governance-and-diplomacy month — the Supreme Court broadened 'terrorist act' under UAPA while granting Delhi-riots bail, split 1-1 on PCA Section 17A, ordered a nationwide police-media briefing policy, and ruled on SEZ electricity tax, passports, land titles and cheque-bounce law; the Cadre Allocation Policy 2026 and Polavaram-Banakacherla dispute made news for aspirants; and India hosted the EU's first-ever Republic Day Chief Guests alongside Chancellor Merz, the UAE President and the India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting, even as the US captured Venezuela's President Maduro.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission — one of the two EU Presidents who became India's first-ever European Union Chief Guests at the 77th Republic Day (26 January 2026) · European People's Party (photo: Benjamin Brolet) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
January 2026 — At a Glance
January 2026 opened with a dramatic US military strike that captured Venezuela's President Maduro, and closed with India's 77th Republic Day welcoming the European Union's top two leaders as Chief Guests for the first time ever. In between, the Supreme Court was unusually active on policing and anti-corruption law, and the Centre notified a new IAS/IPS/IFS cadre-allocation system. Below is the distilled, exam-ready version of every governance and diplomacy story from the source.
1. Judiciary — Landmark Rulings
The Supreme Court delivered a dense run of rulings this month spanning anti-terror law, anti-corruption law, taxation, property, consumer protection and criminal procedure.
SC broadens 'terrorist act' under UAPA, grants Delhi-riots bail
- What — Ruling on the 2020 Delhi riots (CAA/NRC protest clashes, 50+ dead), SC granted bail to 5 of 7 accused, denying it to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam; it read Section 15, UAPA expansively — a terrorist act is not confined to conventional weapons, covering acts by 'any other means' intended to threaten India's unity, security or sovereignty.
- Why it matters — Bail must be assessed individually, role-by-role (principal architect vs. peripheral accused); prolonged pre-trial detention without trial progress is itself relevant to bail.
Split verdict on Section 17A, Prevention of Corruption Act
- What — A Division Bench (Justices B.V. Nagarathna & K.V. Viswanathan) split on the constitutionality of Section 17A, PCA, 1988, which requires prior government approval to probe a public servant's official decisions; matter referred to the CJI for a larger Bench.
- Two views — Viswanathan: valid only if 'read down' so an independent Lokpal/Lokayukta (not government) screens approval. Nagarathna: unconstitutional outright — revives the struck-down 'single directive' vice and violates Article 14.
SC orders a nationwide police-media briefing policy
- What — Building on 2014 PUCL v. Maharashtra encounter guidelines, a Bench led by Justice M.M. Sundresh directed every State/UT to frame a police-media briefing policy within 3 months, modelled on a manual by amicus curiae Gopal Sankaranarayanan.
- Key rules — Four-Test framework (Legality, Necessity, Proportionality, Accountability) bars commenting on case merits or naming sexual-offence survivors/children, bans the 'public spectacle' of arrests, and mandates a Media Briefing Cell in every jurisdiction.
Reserved-category meritorious candidates cannot be excluded from open posts
- What — In Rajat Yadav v. Rajasthan High Court, SC held reserved-category candidates scoring above the General cut-off cannot be excluded from open-category posts merely for missing their own category's cut-off — this is not a 'double benefit', as the open category is a purely merit-based pool.
- Contrast — In Union of India v. G. Kiran (2026), SC separately held that once a candidate avails relaxation at ANY stage of an integrated exam process (e.g. IFS prelims), they cannot claim an unreserved vacancy later.
Brand ambassadors not automatically liable under Consumer Protection Act
- What — Kerala HC absolved actor Mohanlal, sued solely as Manappuram Finance's brand ambassador under CPA, 2019 — mere endorsement/appearance in ads does not attract liability for deficiency of service without a direct transactional nexus with the consumer.
- Rule clarified — Endorser liability under CPA, 2019 is confined to Section 21 (misleading advertisements) — not deficiency-of-service disputes.
Pending criminal cases cannot automatically bar a passport
- What — SC held the right to a passport flows from Article 21 (personal liberty); a pending criminal case is not an absolute bar under Section 6(2)(f) once court-imposed travel conditions (GSR 570(E)) are met; ordered a 10-year passport reissued within 4 weeks.
- State safeguard retained — Section 10 powers to impound/revoke a passport remain available if conditions are breached; courts, not police, control specific foreign travel.
Centre cannot tax SEZ-to-DTA electricity as a 'foreign import'
- What — In the Adani Power (Mundra SEZ) case, SC ruled the Union cannot levy customs duty on electricity supplied from an SEZ to the Domestic Tariff Area (DTA), overturning a 2019 Gujarat HC verdict — customs duty applies only to actual imports, per Article 265.
Property registration is distinct from title; more rulings
- Samiullah v. Bihar — SC struck down Bihar rules requiring mutation-record proof for property registration as *ultra vires* — mutation (a revenue record) does not confer title; registration is administrative, title questions belong to civil courts. SC flagged blockchain as a promising tool for tamper-proof land records.
- NI Act Sec.138 — SC held multiple complaints are maintainable when several cheques arise from one transaction — each dishonour is a separate offence; disputed facts need trial, not quashing under Sec. 482 CrPC.
- Tiger Global v. Flipkart exit — SC denied Tiger Global capital-gains tax-treaty relief on its Flipkart exit — Mauritius entities were mere paper conduits ('head and brain' test); a Tax Residency Certificate is not conclusive where the structure lacks real commercial substance; GAAR can apply even to pre-2017 investments.
2. Legislation, Institutions & Appointments
Cadre Allocation Policy, 2026 for IAS/IPS/IFS
- What — DoPT's new policy replaces the old five zones with four alphabetical groups for cadre preference; vacancy determination is now annual and rule-based (states must requisition by 31 January).
- Insider-outsider rule — Insider allocation strictly by merit rank; mandatory consent to serve in home State required; EWS treated within the Unreserved roster.
Polavaram-Banakacherla dispute — SC directs the inter-State route
- What — SC disposed of Telangana's Article 32 writ petition against Andhra Pradesh's Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Project as prima facie not maintainable, holding the dispute must be pursued under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, while granting liberty to seek other remedies.
- Telangana's argument — Cited Section 90, AP Reorganization Act, 2014 (Polavaram is a national project under Union control) and Article 21 impact on Bhadrachalam/Manuguru from higher reservoir levels.
- AP angle — Andhra Pradesh's link project seeks to carry surplus Godavari floodwater from Polavaram towards the Banakacherla regulator to benefit drought-prone Rayalaseema; the ruling keeps the dispute within the inter-State water-disputes framework.
Issues surrounding the Governor's Address
- What — Governors walked out mid-address in Opposition-ruled Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, reviving debate on Article 176 — courts (*Shamsher Singh 1974*, *Nabam Rebia 2016*) hold the address is mandatory but on Council of Ministers' advice, not the Governor's discretion.
Malayalam Language Bill, 2025 — Kerala-Karnataka friction
- What — Kerala Assembly passed the Bill making Malayalam the compulsory first language in all schools; Karnataka objects it harms Kannada-speaking minorities in Kasaragod; Kerala says it protects Tamil/Kannada/Tulu/Konkani minority-language rights too.
Arbitration Council of India still not constituted
- What — Despite the 2019 Arbitration Act amendment, the Centre has not yet set up the statutory Arbitration Council of India (ACI) — based on the Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee (2017) — meant to grade arbitral institutions and promote institutional arbitration.
Maharashtra's mayoral reservation rotation & Lokpal extension in Moitra case
- Mayoral reservation — Maharashtra's lottery reserved several key mayoral posts (incl. Mumbai/BMC, Pune) under General category for consecutive terms under the 74th Amendment-based rotation system (Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949), triggering allegations the rotation spirit was violated.
- Moitra case — Delhi HC granted the Lokpal a 2-month extension to decide on CBI sanction to prosecute Mahua Moitra in the cash-for-query case — SC precedent requires Lokpal to strictly follow Section 20(7), Lokpal Act procedure, not adjudicate guilt itself.
Protecting minors & children: POCSO debate and anti-trafficking law
- POCSO 'Romeo-Juliet' exception — SC urged the Law Secretary to consider a 'close-in-age' exception to prevent POCSO misuse against consensual adolescent relationships (ages 16-18); the Union government opposes any dilution, citing risks of masking abuse/trafficking as consent.
- Child trafficking — Despite large-scale rescues, conviction rates remain low; legal framework spans BNS, 2023, the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956, the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and POCSO, 2012, backed by Articles 23, 24 and 39(e)/(f).
New laws against acid attacks; the EPFO 3.0 reform push
- Acid attack law — The acquittal in a 2009 acid-attack case exposed gaps (only 16 convictions out of 703 pending cases, 2023); under BNS Sec. 124, acid attack now draws minimum 10 years to life imprisonment plus a fine for medical costs.
- EPFO 3.0 — EPFO (nearly 8 crore members, ~₹28 lakh crore corpus) is building a centralised core-banking system and a BHASHINI-powered vernacular portal, and preparing to administer social security for gig/unorganised workers under the Labour Codes.
Live Events Development Cell; the Responsible Nations Index
- LEDC — MIB set up a Live Events Development Cell, a single-window facilitator (not a regulator) for the 'concert economy', flagging strong Tier-2/3 growth (Visakhapatnam +490% in live-event footfalls, Guwahati +188%).
- Responsible Nations Index — India launched a first-of-its-kind global governance ranking (World Intellectual Foundation + JNU + IIM Mumbai) covering 154 countries by ethical governance, not economic/military power — Singapore 1st, India ranked 16th (ahead of the US at 66th and China at 68th).
3. Policing & Internal Security
Police expand digital surveillance; MHA orders 50 nights/year in border villages
- What — DoPO reports (BPRD) show dedicated social-media monitoring cells rose from 262 (2020) to 365 (2024) across States/UTs, amid a ~5.92 lakh personnel shortfall; separately, MHA directed BSF, ITBP, Assam Rifles, SSB officers and border-state police chiefs to spend ≥50 nights/year in border villages, linked to the Vibrant Villages Programme (2023).
Combating 'digital arrest' scams — a transaction kill switch
- What — An MHA-chaired inter-departmental committee is weighing a UPI/banking-app 'kill switch' for instant fraud-transaction freezing and a fraud insurance mechanism; RBI recorded 23,879 fraud cases worth ₹34,771 crore in 2024-25.
Is the government seeking smartphones' source code?
- What — Reuters reported the government is weighing a rule requiring smartphone makers (Apple, Samsung) to share source code, triggering quiet resistance — an unprecedented demand outside defence, coming after backlash over the Sanchar Saathi app pre-install order.
4. India on the World Stage — Visits, Summits & Diplomacy
77th Republic Day: EU Presidents as India's first-ever EU Chief Guests
- What — Antonio Costa (European Council) and Ursula von der Leyen (European Commission) were Chief Guests at India's 77th Republic Day (26 Jan) — the first-ever EU leaders so honoured — then co-chaired the 16th India-EU Summit with PM Modi.
- Summit outcomes — Landmark deliverables: conclusion of the India-EU FTA, a 2030 Comprehensive Strategic Agenda, a Security & Defence Partnership, an EU-level worker-mobility framework, RBI-ESMA financial cooperation, and a Green Hydrogen Task Force — 13 outcomes in all.
India-Germany Strategic Partnership: Chancellor Merz's first India visit
- What — Chancellor Friedrich Merz's first India visit marked 25 years of the Strategic Partnership and 75 years of diplomatic ties; produced 19 agreements/MoUs across defence (incl. Project 75I submarines), semiconductors, higher education and green hydrogen, plus visa-free transit for Indian passport holders.
Visit of the UAE President; India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting
- UAE President — Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit produced 5 agreements, 7 major outcomes — a defence framework, a joint space initiative, AI/supercomputing cooperation, a 10-year LNG pact (making UAE India's 2nd-largest LNG supplier), and a target to double trade to $200 bn by 2032.
- India-Arab meeting — India hosted the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting (22 Arab League members, India is an Observer); the Delhi Declaration backed the sovereignty of Sudan, Libya and Somalia, rejecting recognition of breakaway Somaliland.
Other summits: Commonwealth Speakers, India-Japan, Democracy conference
- 28th CSPOC — India hosted the 28th Commonwealth Speakers' Conference in New Delhi (AI & legislatures, social media, security); the 29th will be in London, 2028.
- India-Japan Dialogue — 18th India-Japan Strategic Dialogue: new AI cooperation (JAI, 500 Indian AI professionals invited to Japan by 2030) and a private-sector economic-security platform (semiconductors, critical minerals, ICT).
- Election Commission conference — ECI hosted the International Conference on Democracy & Election Management; India chairs International IDEA in 2026; a global report flagged India among countries with declining scores on judicial independence, though praising the 2024 general elections as well-organised.
US strike on Venezuela: President Maduro captured
- What — The US captured President Nicolás Maduro in a major military operation, flying him and his wife to New York on drug-trafficking and weapons charges; Trump revived the 19th-century Monroe Doctrine as justification, and did not rule out deploying US troops.
- Why Venezuela — Venezuela holds the world's largest proven crude reserves (300+ billion barrels); critics call it resource capture behind a 'narco-terrorism' pretext; India's stake is limited (bilateral trade fell to just $0.25 bn in 2024-25 after US sanctions).
Trump's 'Board of Peace', Greenland claim, and US retreat from global bodies
- Board of Peace — Trump unveiled a US-led 'Board of Peace' at Davos (reportedly needs $1-billion for permanent membership, operates outside the UN); India adopted a 'wait and watch' approach — joining could dent its multilateralism credentials, but Pakistan's reported invitation and possible Gaza troop role complicate the choice.
- Greenland & 66 bodies — Trump renewed calls that the US needs Greenland, rejected sharply by Denmark; separately, Trump ordered the US to withdraw from 66 international organisations (incl. UN agencies, International Solar Alliance), calling them 'redundant'.
India-China friction over Shaksgam Valley; India's late entry to Pax Silica
- Shaksgam Valley — India objected to China's infrastructure in the Shaksgam Valley (Trans-Karakoram Tract), north of the Siachen Glacier, legally part of J&K but under Pakistan-China control since the 1960s — raising fears of a two-front security challenge near the Karakoram Pass.
- Pax Silica — India joined US-led Pax Silica (chip/tech supply-chain grouping) only after it was underway, echoing its late entry to the Minerals Security Partnership — signalling that capability, not intent, decides first-round membership in tech-supply-chain groupings.
Other diplomatic snapshots
- Iran's protests — Nationwide protests since December 2025 (inflation over 52%, rial collapse) grew an anti-regime character, giving space to exiled Reza Pahlavi, son of the last Shah.
- Sri Lanka port grant — Sri Lanka's Cabinet approved the long-pending renovation of Kankesanthurai Port (Northern Province, ~104 km from Karaikal Port), with India funding the entire project cost as a grant.
- e-B-4 visa — India launched a new online e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4) for Chinese nationals on production-linked business (45-50 day processing, up to 6-month stay), to ease manufacturing/supply-chain investment.
- Golden Dome — The Trump administration is widening its search for partners for the $175-billion, space-based 'Golden Dome' missile defence shield — a far more expansive version of Israel's Iron Dome.