Lok Sabha Tables Report Against Resigned Judge Yashwant Varma: Article 217, Impeachment and Accountability

Rajya Sabha Passes Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026, Raising Judge Strength to 38

The Rajya Sabha has cleared the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, raising the apex court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The Bill replaces a May ordinance, but Opposition MPs questioned the ordinance route and highlighted the persistent diversity deficit in judicial appointments. This is a high-yield Polity topic for Prelims and Mains, with concrete data on SC/ST/OBC/minority/women representation and judiciary infrastructure.

Article 124(3) Never Used: SC Judge Calls for Appointment of Distinguished Jurist

Article 124(3) of the Constitution allows the President to appoint a 'distinguished jurist' as a Supreme Court judge. This provision has never been used in over 76 years. Justice Ujjal Bhuyan recently called it an 'unused mandate' that needs serious attention to diversify the bench.

Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968 Invoked: Panel Finds Unexplained Cash at Justice Varma’s Residence, Report Tabled in Parliament

A three-member parliamentary inquiry committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 has found that former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma failed to explain the source of cash bundles discovered in his official residence after a fire. This is a rare invocation of the judicial removal mechanism, making it crucial for understanding the process of judicial accountability and the role of Parliament in the impeachment of judges.

PM CARES Fund: Donations Fall to ₹479.96 Cr, Balance Hits Record ₹8,452 Cr; No Questions in Lok Sabha

PM CARES Fund, a public charitable trust set up in 2020 for COVID-19 relief, saw donations plunge to ₹479.96 crore in FY2024-25 while its closing balance hit a record ₹8,452.06 crore. Spending fell to a five-year low of ₹87.85 lakh. The PMO has informed Lok Sabha that questions on PM CARES, PMNRF, and NDF are not admissible under parliamentary rules as they are funded by voluntary contributions, not from the Consolidated Fund of India.

Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 Passed in Lok Sabha Without Debate; SC Issues Notice on Polygamy Ban

Lok Sabha passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026 without debate amid opposition protests over police crackdown. Simultaneously, the Supreme Court issued notice on a plea to ban polygamy, sentenced Tahir Hussain to life imprisonment for murder of an IB officer, and stayed arrest of former TN minister Senthilbalaji. Multiple other judicial and state-level developments occurred.

Lok Sabha Passes Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026; India's Russian Oil Imports Hit All-Time High of 48%

Today's top news covers the Lok Sabha's passage of the Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 without debate, India's all-time high Russian oil imports at 48% in June 2026, multiple Supreme Court orders on Cauvery, Manipur, and Abhishek Banerjee, and a police lathi-charge on student protesters in Jharkhand. Key for Prelims: data points, bill names, SC orders.

Lok Sabha Passes Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 to Establish National Tribunals Commission for Appointments

The Lok Sabha has passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, to establish a National Tribunals Commission (NTC) for appointing chairpersons and members of tribunals. This follows the Supreme Court's directive to ensure independence and transparency. The Bill replaces the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021.

Lok Sabha Passes Tribunals Reforms Bill 2026 to Establish National Tribunals Commission for Selection of Members

Lok Sabha has passed the Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026, which seeks to establish a National Tribunals Commission to select chairpersons and members of key tribunals. This move follows the Supreme Court striking down parts of the earlier 2021 Act, aiming to strengthen tribunals as specialized complementary institutions to the judiciary.