Current affairs — 10 October 2026

On 9 October 2026 a Supreme Court bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana called Delhi’s transport notifications “overreaching” and told the Centre that regulation “does not mean that you will use a hammer to kill a fly”. The hearing came a day before the 10 October protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and others, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Delhi Police had already refused permission at Jantar Mantar, citing short notice.

On 9 October 2026 the Madhya Pradesh High Court (Division Bench of Justices Anand Pathak and Vinay Saraf) struck down the Madhya Pradesh Public Service (Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes) Amendment Act, 2019, which had raised OBC reservation in State government jobs from 14% to 27%. The Court held that the State could not show the “extraordinary conditions or emergent situations” needed to breach the 50% ceiling laid down in Indra Sawhney, and that data on higher education and public employment showed OBCs to be adequately represented.

On 9 October 2026 the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced the Nobel Peace Prize for Navi Pillay, the South Africa-born jurist who has been a judge and president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, a judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Committee chairman Jørgen Watne Frydnes said the prize honours her efforts to promote international law “as it comes under attack”; it came on the 125th anniversary of the prize.

On 9 October 2026 the Election Commission of India (ECI) told all Chief Electoral Officers that no individual may file more than 10 Form 7s during the claims-and-objections period of a roll revision, or more than 5 a month during continuous updation, online or offline. The step follows complaints of bulk filings to delete voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).

The Centre will bring out a policy on stockpiling critical minerals within a month, Keshav Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Mines, said at the India Mines and Minerals Conclave 2026, organised by ASSOCHAM. “We are making very elaborate plans for the stockpiles,” he said, as reported on 9 October 2026.

On 9 October 2026 the Supreme Court, with CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on the Bench, stood by its interim ban on the unauthorised use and circulation of live-streamed court proceedings on social media and digital platforms, saying that “anything meant for public good” cannot be “exploited” commercially for personal gain, according to The Hindu. The case is Harshita Grover v. Union of India, W.P.(C) No. 751/2026, filed under Art. 32.

On 9 October 2026 the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports, chaired by Mukul Wasnik, presented its 382nd report, Reforms and Strengthening of the National Testing Agency, in the Rajya Sabha. The Hindu reports that it was tabled on Friday; The Indian Express says it was presented to the Rajya Sabha Chairman.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released its flagship Trade and Development Report 2026 at a Geneva press conference on 9 October 2026. The report projects global growth of 2.6% in 2026, down from 2.9% in 2025, and says global trade hit a record $35 trillion in 2025, with higher 2026 values owing largely to an energy-driven rise in prices.

On 9 October 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Team India from the 48th WorldSkills Competition (Shanghai, 22–27 September 2026) at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, with MoS (Independent Charge) for Skill Development Jayant Chaudhary. India finished 10th, its first top-10 placing, with 6 silver medals and 20 Medals for Excellence (26 in all) from its largest-ever 70-member team. The Prime Minister said skill training institutions are “no less than IITs and IIMs”; the next day's The Hindu article by Mr Chaudhary tied the result to the ₹60,000 crore PM-SETU scheme for upgrading 1,000 ITIs.

On 9 October 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) announced, through a PIB release, its observance of World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2026, reaffirming “accessible, inclusive and people-centred” mental health care. The Ministry cited the global theme “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”, reported that Tele-MANAS has received over 47.75 lakh calls since its launch on 10 October 2022, and announced MANN Jaagriti, a community awareness initiative for 2026.