SC opposes use of SIR data for non-poll tasks

The Supreme Court stated on Friday that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is only linked to elections as a petition said the West Bengal government is using SIR data to delete names from schemes ensuring food security, women's welfare and Backward Caste certifications.

Centre yields to Andhra Pradesh govt.’s demands, to modify higher education Bill

In response to the Andhra Pradesh government's concerns over "centralisation" of powers in the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill (VBSA), 2025, the Union Education Ministry has agreed to several changes, including adding a provision requiring the proposed Regulatory Council to get the State government's clearance before making any key decisions about colleges affiliated to State universities.

SC to examine plea for recognition of intersex persons as distinct class

The Supreme Court sought responses from the Centre and States on Friday on a petition seeking a declaration that persons born with congenital variations in sex characteristics constitute a distinct and identifiable class.

J&K's Manasbal lake starts hosting migratory birds again

Manasbal Lake, the country's deepest freshwater lake in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, is on the path of ecological recovery with the return of migratory birds. The lake is 43-feet deep with a length and breadth of 3.5 km and 1.5 km, respectively. Locals are upbeat about the uptick in the migratory birds between December 2025 and January 2026. 

Promise of chips

Chipmaking is more than a seasonal obsession in India now. 

The second phase of the India Semicon-ductor Mission's outlay far outpaces the first, with a 1.27 lakh crore corpus directing the government's purse on a wide range of the electronics manufacturing ecosystem. As with the first phase, the outlay is likely to be spent lavishly on select individual projects in the form of a capital subsidy (with the government shelling out a smaller share than last time's 50%), and manufacturing-linked incentives disbursed at a per-unit level once sales are done.

A trade deal that tests India's competitive confidence 

A trade agreement is usually sold on its potential for export facilitation. Its deeper worth often lies in what it obliges the country to import. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between India and the United Kingdom, which came into force earlier this month, is a good agreement on the first count. It may prove an even better one on the second.

Battling drug abuse 

Kerala has shown initiative in coordinated action against cartels.

For a few years now, a growing section of Kerala's youth has been consumed by a festering addiction to narcotic drugs and contraband/psychotropic substances. The signs of the State teetering towards substance abuse were apparent in the wake of the liquor ban a decade ago. But it grew to gargantuan proportions with synthetic drug cartels using digital technologies and social media to outpace law enforcement. While the COVID-19-stricken years of 2020-21 saw a drop in NDPS cases registered in the State, cases surged to 26,619 in 2022 from 5,695 in 2021. The number rose to 36,314 in 2025, alongside large-scale seizures of commercial quantities of contraband.

India rejects former Japan Minister's remarks on bullet train project delay 

Japan will provide its next-generation E10 series Shin-kansen trains to India for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail (MAHSR) project, official spokespersons from the Ministries of External Affairs and Railways said on Friday, addressing queries on the status of the project.

"India-Japan discussions on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed train are progressing well. Japan will provide E10 series train in the early 2030s. The train is still under development. Meanwhile, construction work is rapidly progressing. First section will be opened in 2027," a spokesperson from the Ministry of Railways said.

Freedom of press and accountability are important: HC 

The Delhi High Court has observed that nowadays anyone armed with a mobile phone and a microphone can proclaim themselves to be a "reporter", often without any training or accountability.

Panel defers adoption of report on Bill for removal of Prime Minister, CMS 

The Joint Committee of Parliament reviewing the legislation on the removal of the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers on serious charges decided to defer the adoption of a draft report that had been circulated nearly a week ago, after voting had been completed on two of the five recommendations made by the panel at a meeting on Friday.

Govt. orders strict scrutiny of digitised birth, death records 

Amid a surge in demand for digitised birth certificates, the office of the Registrar General of India (RGI) is implementing stringent checks to prevent fraudulent digitisation of old records. The RGI informed the States in June that in certain instances, the credentials of registrars have been compromised due to user IDs, passwords, or one-time passwords (OTPs) being shared with unauthorised persons. On July 6, the RGI asked States to identify "Registration Units showing unexplained spikes in registrations".

U.S. delivers another MH-60R Seahawk to the Indian Navy 

The Indian Navy has received another MH-60R Seahawk multi-role naval helicopter from the United States, further strengthening its anti-submarine warfare and maritime surveillance capabilities. This brings the total number of helicopters delivered to 21, out of 24 ordered under a $946 million deal. The latest helicopter was delivered at Kochi last week, while two more helicopters are expected to arrive in India this week, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi said on Friday. U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described the development as "excellent news" for bilateral ties, saying the advanced helicopter would enhance maritime security.

Govt. unveils scheme for settlement of provident fund cases 

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has launched "Vishwas 2026", a one-time dispute resolution initiative, effective from June 29.

India's poll rolls a living document, says CEC 

India's electoral rolls, with nearly 95 crore voters, is a living document which is dynamically evolving with time, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said on Friday.

Core Industries Index set to get an upgrade 

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry will on July 20 release an updated Index of Core Industries (ICI) with a new base year of 2022-23 and recalibrated industries and weightages.

The revised series will replace the existing ICI series which has a base year of 2011-12. The release on July 20 will include the provisional ICI for June 2026 along with the back series from April 2023 to May 2026.

IAMAI unveils e-com council to unify $120-bn digital commerce 

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) unveiled E-Commerce Council of India (ECCI), a 'first-of-its-kind' national platform to unify India's $120 billion digital commerce ecosystem. The ECCI would serve as a collaborative platform for industry stakeholders to engage with policymakers, generate research, develop best practices and contribute to policy discussions that shape the future of digital commerce in India, according to Subho Ray, president, IAΜΑΙ.

China pitches Al governance model for Global South 

It is the clearest signal yet of China's global leadership ambitions in Artificial Intelligence. On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled a new initiative on global Al governance, pitched largely at the Global South and developing countries. China, along with 29 other countries, mostly from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, has established a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) based in Shanghai.