Current affairs — 22 September 2026

Prelims pointers

• The Assembly debate concerned a Centre-issued draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas based on the Kasturirangan report.
• Eshwar B. Khandre demanded that the Centre announce a special package for areas affected by the draft notification.
• A.S. Ponnanna said Karnataka had filed objections to the draft six times without the Centre revising it.
• B.Y. Vijayendra said the Madhav Gadgil committee examined Ecologically Sensitive Areas in the Western Ghats before the Kasturirangan committee was formed.
• Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the special Assembly session sought to take the Opposition into confidence.

Prelims pointers

• The Supreme Court ordered a fresh investigation into the 2012 rape and murder of a 17-year-old near Dharmasthala.
• Karnataka must form a tech-savvy SIT headed by a senior State police officer and exclude every officer from the earlier probe team.
• The fresh investigation must finish within three months, after which the police report must be filed before the court concerned.
• The judgment described a fair investigation as part of the constitutional right guaranteed under Article 21.
• The acquitted former accused cannot be investigated or prosecuted again after his acquittal because Article 20(2) protects him against double jeopardy.

Prelims pointers

• The House Committee examined alleged irregularities in Jal Jeevan Mission projects valued at ₹1,100 crore in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Its 18-point recommendations called for referral to an investigating agency and action warranted under law.
• The committee questioned the shift from GI to HDPE pipes because credible procurement and utilisation records were not produced.
• Site visits reportedly found distribution pipes laid above ground instead of being embedded as required by contract terms.
• The report said official records made false claims about Functional Household Tap Connections and covered habitations.

Prelims pointers

• The Cooperation Minister said a 100% drought declaration was expected by the end of September under NDRF norms.
• The State Agriculture Department reported more than 20 rainless days in at least 83 talukas across 20 districts.
• At least six districts, including Amravati, Solapur and Latur, recorded rainfall deficits of 40–50%.
• Initial relief measures included student fee waivers, electricity-bill waivers and deployment of water tankers.
• District administrations were told to revive water sources and build village supply networks rather than treat tankers as the first solution.

Prelims pointers

• Troy Meink disclosed on September 14 that the U.S. had deployed on-orbit space-control weapons, and Gen. Douglas Schiess confirmed it.
• U.S. doctrine defines space control as including both offensive and defensive operations, although Meink described the weapon as defensive.
• Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty prohibits nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, not orbital weapons generally.
• Article III of the Outer Space Treaty requires activities in outer space to comply with international law.
• The editorial said the Liability Convention is difficult to apply when an autonomous, commercial, dual-use orbital asset initiates an unwanted defensive strike.