LEGAL NEWS

Supreme Court Judgment on “Industry” under Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

• On 20 August 2026, a nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court delivered a 489-page judgment in State of Uttar Pradesh v. Jai Bir Singh on the meaning of “industry” under Section 2(j) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

• By a 5:4 majority, the Court held that the 1978 Bangalore Water Supply framework remains valid but requires refinement, particularly by giving greater importance to the commercial character of an establishment.

• The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board v. A. Rajappa (1978) judgment had laid down the Triple Test for determining whether an activity constitutes an industry.

• The Triple Test considers systematic activity, cooperation between employer and employees, and production or distribution of goods and services to satisfy human wants or wishes.

• The 2026 judgment held that the refined Triple Test will operate prospectively, meaning it will apply to cases arising after the judgment.

• Pending disputes under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 will continue to be decided according to the original 1978 interpretation, rather than the refined test.

• The Court unanimously held that the Bangalore Water Supply judgment will not govern interpretation of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, which must be interpreted independently from its own statutory language.

• The reference seeking reconsideration of the 1978 judgment was held valid by a 6:3 majority. The decision is significant for Indian labour law and industrial dispute adjudication.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

National India Hub Day Declared in Illinois

• The Illinois State Senate declared 15 August as “National India Hub Day” through a proclamation presented on 15 August 2026.

• The proclamation was presented at the National India Hub in Schaumburg, Illinois, coinciding with India’s 80th Independence Day.

• Illinois State Senator Ram Villivalam, along with six other state legislators, presented the proclamation recognising the significance of the National India Hub.

• The National India Hub is a 107,000-square-foot community centre serving Indian-American organisations and communities in Illinois.

• The declaration was made during INDIA FEST 2026, which was organised at the National India Hub on 15 August 2026.

• Despite sudden heavy rain, nearly 50 vendors and stage arrangements were shifted indoors, allowing the festival to continue inside the facility.

• The National India Hub was founded by Harish Kolasani and currently brings together more than 150 independent organisations sharing resources, volunteers and space.

• The declaration highlights the growing cultural and community ties between the Indian-American community and the State of Illinois.

NATIONAL NEWS

NSG Launches India’s First Mahila Commando Conversion Course

• The NSG Training Academy launched India’s first Mahila Commando Conversion Course (MCCC) on 24 August 2026 at Manesar, Haryana.

• The course is a 12-week intensive residential programme for selected women personnel from State Police Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

• The first batch consists of 25 women constables from the 5th Battalion of the Rajasthan Armed Constabulary.

• The training covers counter-terrorism, weapons handling, physical conditioning, marksmanship and tactical intervention.

• The course also includes specialised hostage rescue drills to prepare participants for high-risk counter-terrorism operations.

• The programme uses the theme and hashtag “She Who Dares, Leads”, highlighting women’s participation in specialised security roles.

• The National Security Guard (NSG) is a federal counter-terrorism force under the Ministry of Home Affairs, popularly known as the “Black Cats”.

• The NSG was established in 1984 and specialises in counter-terrorism, anti-hijacking and other high-risk security operations; its Training Academy is located at Manesar, Haryana.

STATE NEWS

Kerala Renamed as Keralam

• Kerala was officially renamed “Keralam” under the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026, with the change taking effect on 25 August 2026.

• The name change was made under Article 3 of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to alter the name, area or boundaries of existing States.

• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal on 24 February 2026, followed by approval of the proposal by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in July 2026.

• The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2026 and passed by the Lok Sabha on 11 August 2026.

• The Rajya Sabha passed the Bill on 12 August 2026, and President Droupadi Murmu gave assent on 14 August 2026.

• The Union Home Ministry issued the Gazette notification on 25 August 2026, appointing the same date as the commencement date of the Act.

• The change alters Kerala’s entry in the First Schedule of the Constitution, which contains the names and territorial details of India’s States and Union Territories.

• Under Article 3, the President must refer a State-renaming Bill to the concerned State Legislature for its views, but Parliament is not bound by those views. A renaming under Article 3 does not require a constitutional amendment under Article 368.

AWARDS

Publications Division Wins Seven FIP Awards 2026

• The Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting won seven honours at the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) Awards for Excellence in Book Production 2026.

• The awards were presented at the 46th FIP Awards ceremony on 24 August 2026 by Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva.

• The Publications Division received four Second Prizes and three Third Prizes across different categories.

• The July 2026 Hindi issue of Yojana, themed “Viksit Bharat@2047”, and the English magazine Kurukshetra won Second Prizes in the Journals and House Magazines category.

• The Hindi reference book Bharat 2026 and the English book Wings to Our Hopes – Vol. 2 also received Second Prizes.

• The Hindi books Dharti Ki Sehat and Rangoli Roop Sur Lay Ki received Third Prizes in the Children’s Books and Art and Coffee Table Books categories, respectively.

• The Hindi issue of Ajkal Urdu (July 2026) also won a Third Prize in the Journals and House Magazines category.

• The Publications Division, which publishes material in Hindi, English and Urdu, was felicitated by Director General Dr. Dhiraj Kakadia on 25 August 2026 for its achievement.

SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE

9th National Security Strategies Conference 2026

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the 9th National Security Strategies (NSS) Conference-2026 in New Delhi on 24 August 2026.

• The two-day hybrid conference brought together more than 850 participants, including senior officials from the Intelligence Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs and central and state police forces.

• Key areas discussed included counter-terrorism, cybercrime, narcotics control, information warfare and internal security.

• Amit Shah directed security agencies to adopt strict measures against border infiltration and instructed State police chiefs to identify and deport illegal migrants.

• Agencies were asked to use Artificial Intelligence-based analysis on Multi-Agency Centre platforms and develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for emerging security threats.

• The conference discussed the PRAHAAR scheme of the Ministry of Home Affairs, trial in absentia for fugitive offenders and integrated investigation methods for cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

• The first day covered counter-terrorism, Pakistan’s proxy warfare, cybercrime frameworks and narcotics control, while the concluding sessions addressed sub-aerial threats, blue economy security, information warfare and bio-security.

• Before the inauguration, Amit Shah paid tribute at the Martyrs’ Column in New Delhi and laid a wreath in memory of Intelligence Bureau personnel who died in the line of duty.