LEGAL NEWS
Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026
• The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 is scheduled to be introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session commencing on 20 July 2026.
• The proposed legislation seeks to extend statutory protection to Vande Mataram by bringing it within the ambit of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
• The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 currently provides legal protection to the National Flag, the Constitution of India, and the National Anthem (Jana Gana Mana) against acts of insult or disrespect.
• Under the amendment, insulting or deliberately obstructing the singing or playing of Vande Mataram would attract penalties similar to those applicable to the National Anthem, including imprisonment of up to three years, a fine, or both.
• Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and first appeared in his novel Anandamath (1882), while Jana Gana Mana was adopted as India's National Anthem on 24 January 1950.
• On 9 July 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directed all States and Central Ministries to play Vande Mataram before Jana Gana Mana at official functions and to use all six stanzas of the song.
• The proposed amendment is intended to provide equal statutory recognition and legal protection to Vande Mataram alongside the National Anthem during official ceremonies.
• Once introduced, the Bill will proceed through the Parliamentary legislative process under Article 107 of the Constitution, with the Monsoon Session being one of Parliament’s three regular sessions, along with the Budget and Winter Sessions.
Supreme Court Approves Kukrail Night Safari and Day Zoo Project in Uttar Pradesh
• On 16 July 2026, the Supreme Court of India granted final approval for the Kukrail Night Safari and Day Zoo Project in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, paving the way for India’s first urban night safari.
• The project will be developed in the 2,027-hectare Kukrail Reserve Forest, with nearly 855 acres allocated for the safari and zoo complex at an estimated cost of ₹1,510 crore.
• Before receiving the Supreme Court’s clearance, the project had obtained approvals from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and conditional approval from the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
• The first phase will feature 38 wildlife enclosures housing species such as Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers, leopards, hyenas, flying squirrels, and gharials in naturalistic habitats.
• The safari is planned with theme-based zones, forest and night trails, battery-operated vehicles, and a moonlight-style lighting system to provide a natural nocturnal experience.
• The Supreme Court and the Central Empowered Committee rejected the proposal to shift the 104-year-old Nawab Wajid Ali Shah Zoological Park to the Kukrail site.
• To minimise ecological impact, road expansion has been restricted to a two-lane road, while the proposed adventure zone, including tram rides, augmented reality theatre, and after-dark forest activities, has been dropped.
• Once administrative formalities are completed, Phase I is expected to be completed in about 24 months, making Kukrail the world’s fifth night safari, after similar facilities in Singapore, Thailand, China, and Indonesia.
APPOINTMENT
Harjit Singh Grewal Appointed as Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM)
• Harjit Singh Grewal was appointed as the Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on 16 July 2026 through a notification issued by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
• He succeeds Iqbal Singh Lalpura, whose tenure ended in April 2025, leaving the post vacant for over a year.
• The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) is a statutory body established under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 to safeguard the interests of notified minority communities.
• Grewal will serve a three-year term from the date of assuming office or until further orders. Munawari Begum has been appointed as Vice-Chairperson, while Glenn E. Souza Ticlo joins as a Member.
• The Commission reviews the implementation of constitutional and legal safeguards for minorities, examines complaints, and advises the Central Government on minority welfare policies.
• Although the NCM has a sanctioned strength of seven members, the latest appointments have increased its functional strength to four.
• India currently recognises six notified minority communities: Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, and Jains.
• A senior BJP leader from Punjab, Harjit Singh Grewal belongs to Dhanaula (Barnala district) and has been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for over three decades.
NATIONAL NEWS
BCI Issues Social Media Guidelines for Advocates, Law Students and Interns
• On 17 July 2026, the Bar Council of India (BCI) issued a circular prescribing social media guidelines for advocates, law students, interns, State Bar Councils, and Centres of Legal Education.
• Issued under the Advocates Act, 1961, the guidelines focus on digital ethics, confidentiality, courtroom decorum, and professional conduct within the legal profession.
• The circular prohibits recording or sharing reels, videos, photographs, and promotional content from courtrooms, court premises, Bar rooms, chambers, corridors, and judicial buildings, unless specifically authorised by the Court.
• Recording of physical, virtual, or hybrid court proceedings is not permitted except where allowed by court rules or with prior written approval from the Court or Registrar General.
• Advocates are not allowed to use court attire such as bands, gowns, or robes for social media promotion or publicity, except during officially permitted ceremonial occasions.
• Newly enrolled advocates must submit a compliance affidavit/acknowledgement, while law students and interns are barred from posting “day in court”, “day in chamber”, or similar internship-related content featuring court premises.
• The circular also prohibits misleading legal advice, fabricated judgments, anonymous legal opinions, AI-generated fake court experiences, and deepfake content that may misrepresent judicial proceedings.
• Any violation may invite disciplinary proceedings by the State Bar Councils, and in appropriate cases, may also attract contempt of court if the content undermines the dignity or authority of the judiciary.
Prime Minister to Inaugurate 75 Redeveloped Railway Stations under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will virtually inaugurate 75 redeveloped railway stations across 20 States on 17 July 2026 under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS), with the main event hosted at Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station, Punjab.
• Jalandhar Cantt Station, redeveloped at a cost of ₹125 crore, has been selected as the anchor venue for the nationwide inauguration.
• Launched in December 2022 by the Ministry of Railways, the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme aims to modernise over 1,337 railway stations through phased redevelopment based on long-term master plans.
• The scheme follows the vision of “Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi”, integrating local heritage with modern passenger amenities, improved accessibility, and multimodal transport connectivity.
• Key facilities at the upgraded stations include wider concourses, improved entry and exit points, lifts, escalators, modern waiting halls, executive lounges, CCTV surveillance, free Wi-Fi, and barrier-free access for persons with disabilities.
• The stations inaugurated include Hi-Tech City (Telangana), Modi Nagar (Delhi), and Alnavar, Badami, Bantwal, and Koppal (Karnataka), while six redeveloped stations in Kerala were scheduled for inauguration on 16 July 2026.
• By 12 March 2026, Indian Railways had completed redevelopment work at 180 stations, with targets of 400 stations by the end of 2026 and 700 stations by the end of 2027.
• The Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is one of India's flagship railway modernisation initiatives, focusing on enhanced passenger experience, universal accessibility, urban integration, and sustainable station infrastructure.
AWARDS
72nd National Film Awards 2026 Announced
• The 72nd National Film Awards were announced on 18 July 2026 in New Delhi for films certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) during 2024. The winners were selected by an 11-member jury chaired by filmmaker Jayaraj.
• Article 370 (Hindi) won the Best Feature Film award, while Randeep Hooda received the Best Debut Director award for Swatantrya Veer Savarkar. Kalki 2898 AD was honoured as the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.
• Mammootty (Bramayugam) and Kartik Aaryan (Chandu Champion) shared the Best Actor award, while Yami Gautam won Best Actress for Article 370.
• Rajkumar Periasamy received the Best Director award for Amaran, which also won Best Editing and Best Background Music (G. V. Prakash Kumar).
• Major technical awards included Shehnad Jalal for Best Cinematography (Bramayugam), Manas Choudhury for Best Sound Design (Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3), Nitin Zihani Choudhary for Best Production Design (Kalki 2898 AD), and Anl Arasu for Best Action Direction (Maharaja).
• Abhay Jodhpurkar won Best Male Playback Singer for Gharat Ganpati, while Vaikom Vijayalakshmi received Best Female Playback Singer for A.R.M.. Manoj Muntashir was honoured for Best Lyrics (Maidaan), and Vijay Ganguly won Best Choreography (Stree 2).
• Language-specific awards recognised Srikanth (Best Hindi Film), Raayan (Best Tamil Film), Committee Kurrollu (Best Telugu Film), Mithya (Best Kannada Film), Feminichi Fathima (Best Malayalam Film), and several other regional films.
• In the Writing on Cinema category, Sanjeev Srivastava received the Best Film Critic award, while K. Pradeep Kumar Shetty won Best Writing on Cinema. The awards are administered by the Directorate of Film Festivals under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
RANKING AND INDEX
NITI Aayog Releases Investment Friendliness Index 2026
• NITI Aayog launched the Investment Friendliness Index 2026 on 17 July 2026 to evaluate the investment ecosystem across 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
• Gujarat secured the top position with a score of 56.6, followed by Maharashtra (53.7) and Tamil Nadu (53.3), while Goa and Odisha also emerged among the leading performers.
• The index was prepared following a direction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 9th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog (July 2024) and was formally announced in the Union Budget 2025–26.
• Performance was assessed across eight pillars: Infrastructure, Business Climate, Resource Availability, Government Policy, Regulatory Ease, Institutional Environment, Financial Health, and Environmental Resilience.
• Maharashtra performed strongly in the Business Climate pillar, whereas Tamil Nadu excelled in Infrastructure and Business Climate, contributing to their high overall rankings.
• The index aims to benchmark the investment readiness of States and Union Territories, helping governments identify strengths, improve governance, and attract domestic as well as foreign investment.
• Among the lower-ranked performers were Lakshadweep, Ladakh, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, indicating scope for improving investment-related infrastructure and institutional support.
• Introduced as part of the "Viksit Rajya @2047" vision, the index serves as a policy tool to promote competitive federalism and strengthen India's long-term investment and economic development strategy.
DEFENCE
Indian Air Force Participates in Exercise Pitch Black 2026
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has deployed four Rafale fighter jets, two C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft, and over 120 air warriors to Darwin, Australia, for Exercise Pitch Black 2026.
• The multinational air exercise will be conducted from 20 July to 7 August 2026 and is hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
• The 2026 edition is being held at RAAF Bases Darwin, Tindal, and Amberley, with participation from 19–20 partner nations, involving nearly 100 aircraft and over 2,500 military personnel.
• This marks the first participation of the IAF's Rafale fighter aircraft in Exercise Pitch Black, highlighting India's expanding role in multinational air combat exercises.
• The exercise aims to strengthen interoperability, operational coordination, combat readiness, and the exchange of professional best practices among participating air forces.
• The Rafale, developed by Dassault Aviation (France), is a twin-engine multirole fighter aircraft, while the C-17 Globemaster III is a strategic heavy-lift transport aircraft used for long-range military operations.
• Exercise Pitch Black is one of the Royal Australian Air Force's premier biennial air combat exercises, designed to enhance multinational defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
• India’s participation also reflects the growing India–Australia defence partnership, with both countries being members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) alongside Japan and the United States.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Vikram-1 Becomes India’s First Privately Developed Orbital-Class Rocket
• Vikram-1, developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace, successfully lifted off on 18 July 2026 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, becoming India’s first privately developed orbital-class rocket.
• The launch, conducted at 12:05 PM IST, placed multiple payloads into a 450 km Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with a 60-degree orbital inclination under the mission name Mission Aagaman.
• Vikram-1 is a four-stage launch vehicle built with an all-carbon composite structure, stands about seven storeys tall, and is capable of carrying payloads of up to 350 kg to Low Earth Orbit.
• The mission carried technology demonstration payloads from Grahaa Space, Cosmoserve Space, and DCUBED, along with Skyroot Aerospace’s in-house SCOPE satellite.
• Special commemorative payloads included a handwritten postcard by Prime Minister Narendra Modi bearing the words “Vande Mataram”, an 18-karat gold miniature rocket, and Cosmic Bloom, an artwork created by Cosmos Diamonds.
• With the success of Vikram-1, India became the third country after the United States and China to demonstrate private orbital launch capability.
• The mission highlights the growing role of India's private space industry under the Indian Space Policy 2023, which encourages private participation in launch vehicle development, satellite services, and commercial space activities.
• Low Earth Orbit (LEO) generally extends up to 2,000 km above Earth, and the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, remains India's primary launch facility for orbital missions.
