LEGAL NEWS

Supreme Court Notice on DERC Appointment Dispute

• The Supreme Court issued notice to the office of Delhi LG V.K. Saxena on 9 May 2026 on a plea filed by the Delhi Government regarding DERC appointments.

• The dispute relates to appointment of the Chairperson and members of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).

• DERC is a statutory regulatory body constituted under the Electricity Act, 2003.

• Delhi Government alleged that the LG delayed the chairperson’s appointment by seeking legal opinion on whether Delhi High Court Chief Justice’s concurrence is required.

• The matter was heard by a bench of CJI D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice P.S. Narasimha.

• Notice was issued through the Principal Secretary of the LG’s office.

• Earlier, in August 2023, the Supreme Court appointed Justice Jayant Nath (former Delhi HC judge) as ad hoc DERC Chairman due to a deadlock.

• The issue is linked with the NCT of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023, which gives overriding appointment powers to the LG and is under challenge before a Constitution Bench.

APPOINTMENT

Sibash Kabiraj Appointed as New Gurugram Police Commissioner

• Senior IPS officer Sibash Kabiraj was appointed as the new Gurugram Police Commissioner on 18 May 2026.

• He is a 1999-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.

• He replaced Vikas Arora, who was posted as ADGP (Administration), Panchkula.

• The Indian Police Service is an All India Service created under Article 312 of the Constitution.

• IPS officers are recruited through the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

• Kabiraj earlier served as Commissioner of Police, Panchkula before his transfer to Gurugram.

• In 2026, he also held additional charge as ADGP (Cyber) and Director, State Crime Records Bureau.

• The appointment was part of a major Haryana Police reshuffle carried out through official Home Department orders.

NATIONAL NEWS

CIC Ruling on BCCI and RTI Act (18 May 2026)

• The Central Information Commission (CIC) ruled on 18 May 2026 that the BCCI is not a “public authority” under the RTI Act, 2005.

• The order was passed by Information Commissioner P.R. Ramesh.

• The case related to BCCI’s role in representing India and selecting players for tournaments.

• Under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, only bodies established by the Constitution/law/notification or owned, controlled, or substantially financed by the government come under RTI.

• CIC held that BCCI is a private autonomous body, registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act.

• The Commission stated that BCCI is not owned, not controlled, and not substantially financed by the government.

• The CIC clarified that tax exemptions or statutory concessions do not amount to “substantial financing” under RTI.

• The ruling reversed the 2018 CIC order (by M. Sridhar Acharyulu) after the Madras High Court (Sept 2025) sent the matter back for fresh decision.

STATE NEWS

‘Metro Monday’ Campaign Launched in Delhi (May 2026)

• Delhi launched the ‘Metro Monday’ campaign on 18 May 2026 to promote public transport use and fuel conservation.

• The campaign is part of the Delhi government’s 90-day initiative ‘Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdan’.

• Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will operate 24 additional train trips every Monday using six extra trains.

• DMRC is the statutory body operating the Delhi Metro network in the NCR, established in 1995 as a joint venture of Centre and Delhi government.

• The Delhi government announced a mandatory two-day work-from-home policy for its employees and advised private firms to follow.

• Office timings were staggered: Delhi government offices (10:30 am–7 pm) and MCD offices (8:30 am–5 pm).

• Delhi imposed a 20% cut in petrol allocation for government officials and paused purchase of new government vehicles for six months.

• Delhi CM Rekha Gupta travelled by Metro from Kashmere Gate to ITO during the launch to promote the campaign.

AWARDS

PM Modi Conferred Grand Cross of Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (May 2026)

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the Grand Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit in Oslo, Norway, on 18 May 2026.

• It is considered Norway’s highest civilian honour and the highest grade under the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit.

• The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit was instituted in 1985 by King Olav V.

• The honour is awarded for meritorious service in Norway’s interests and for strengthening international relations.

• The Grand Cross is the top class of the order, placed above grades like Commander and Knight.

• India and Norway established diplomatic relations in 1947, with cooperation in maritime affairs, climate action, fisheries and development.

• King Harald V has been the King of Norway since 1991, and Oslo is Norway’s capital.

• This Oslo visit was the first visit by a sitting Indian Prime Minister to Norway in 43 years (previous visit in 1983).

DEFENCE

IAF’s First Woman Cat-A Qualified Flying Instructor

• Squadron Leader Saanya became the Indian Air Force’s first woman officer to qualify as a Cat-A Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) on 18 May 2026.

• Cat-A QFI is among the highest instructor categories in the IAF and is linked with advanced flying training and operational standards.

• A Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) is trained to instruct pilots in flying operations and ensure safety procedures.

• Cat-A QFIs conduct advanced pilot training, assess junior instructors, and supervise training standards in flying units.

• Saanya was commissioned into the IAF on 20 June 2015 through the 42 SSC (W) FP Course.

• She was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in 2017 and Squadron Leader in 2021.

• Squadron Leader rank in the IAF is equivalent to a Major in the Indian Army.

• Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, felicitated her, and the IAF announced the achievement on X (Twitter).

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting 2026 (USA)

• The United States will host the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia on 30–31 October 2026.

• The meeting will include Foreign Ministers of G20 member countries and representatives of the European Union.

• The G20 is a forum of major advanced and emerging economies, consisting of 19 countries + the European Union.

• The G20 was formed in 1999 as a platform of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

• It was upgraded to the Leaders’ Summit level in 2008 after the global financial crisis.

• Atlanta is the capital of the US state of Georgia and a major city in the southeastern United States.

• The G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will take place ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for 14–15 December 2026.

• The G20 Leaders’ Summit 2026 is planned at Trump National Doral, Miami, Florida, and is linked with the 250th anniversary of the United States (1776–2026).