UPSC Current Affairs – News Summary of 15-20 April 2026

News Summary · 5 minutes read

Stay ahead in your UPSC CSE preparation with our daily News Summary. Designed to save time, it highlights key national and international events from leading newspapers and government websites.

The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023

• Also called Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023 → provides one‑third reservation for women in the directly elected seats of:
  • Lok Sabha
  • State Legislative Assemblies
  • Legislative Assembly of Delhi
  • It makes the following changes in the Constitution:
    • Inserts Article 330A for reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha.
    • Inserts Article 332A for reservation of seats for women in State Legislative Assemblies.
    • Amends Article 239AA to provide one‑third reservation for women in the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

Key features

• One‑third (33%) reservation: about one‑third of all directly elected seats in Lok Sabha, State Assemblies, and Delhi Assembly will be reserved for women.
• Post‑delimitation implementation: reservation will come into force only after the delimitation exercise following the 2026 census.
• 15‑year sunset clause: reserved seats are to be effective for 15 years from the date of coming into force, after which Parliament may extend the provision by a further law.
• Rotation of seats: specific seats reserved for women will rotate across constituencies after each delimitation, as determined by a law made by Parliament.

Recent developments

• The Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 came into effect from 16 April 2026 → Articles 330A, 332A, and 239AA (as amended) are now legally part of the Constitution.
• However, the reservation will be implemented in elections only after a fresh delimitation exercise (post‑2026 census).
• Recently, the Central Government introduced three bills in Parliament to speed up the implementation of the 106th Amendment:
  • Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026: proposed 3 key changes — increasing Lok Sabha seats from 550 to 850; empowering Parliament to decide the Census for delimitation; and delinking one-third women’s reservation from the 2027 Census to base it on delimitation according to the 2011 Census.
  • The Delimitation Bill, 2026: Provided for setting up a Delimitation Commission by the Union government, which allocates Lok Sabha seats among States and Union Territories based on the latest Census.
  • The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026: sought to adjust laws for UTs to align with the delimitation changes.

The 131st Amendment Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha, and the other two linked bills were withdrawn

Maritime chokepoint

• A narrow stretch of sea through which a large share of global trade passes, with no easy alternative route → concentrates shipping into tight corridors.
• Examples: Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, Bab el-Mandeb Strait, Suez Canal, Panama Canal.
• 70-80% of the world’s oil moves by sea, and much of it passes through such chokepoints.
• Disruption in maritime chokepoints causes:
  • Higher energy pricesHigher shipping costsBroken supply chainsshortages of critical commodities,Inflation
  • Slower economic growth

International law for maritime chokepoints

• Movement of ships through international chokepoints is governed primarily by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• Maritime chokepoints are subject to the principle of “transit passage”, allowing ships of all nations to pass without obstruction → countries along the corridor can regulate shipping for safety and environmental reasons, but they cannot impose selective restrictions.

Annatto seed

• A natural colourant producing hues ranging from yellow to red.
• Brought to Asia from Mexico in the 17th century through Sephardic Jewish trade routes.
• Uses: colouring food, dyeing cloth, painting skin, herbal medicine, and as a spice.
• Cultivation: completely rain-fed and requires no pesticides or fertilizers → 1st harvest comes in the 2nd year after planting, and the yield continues for more than two decades.
• Opportunity: high demand across the European Union and West Asia.
• Challenges: absence of government-backed organic certification, a proper procurement mechanism, and adequate storage facilities.

Uttar Pradesh revises minimum wages

• UP govt issued a notification recently to revise minimum wages (interim) in the State under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, using powers under the United Provinces Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.
• UP is divided into three categories:
  • Category I: Gautam Buddha Nagar and Ghaziabad → due to industrial activities and high cost of living.
  • Category II: districts with municipal corporations
  • Category III: all other districts.
• Wages are set based on skill levels — unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled.

• Wage structure comprises a basic amount and a Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA).
  • Under the Minimum Wages Act, minimum wages are reviewed periodically, taking into account the All-India Consumer Price Index (CPI).
  • VDA is directly tied to fluctuations in CPI, ensuring that real wages do not lose value due to inflation.

Implications

• Offers partial relief to industrial workers by improving incomes, though questions remain on whether it meets the standard of a living wage.
• Increases labour costs for employers, potentially resulting in loss of profits.
• Effective implementation is challenging due to the existence of informal sectors with weak regulation.

Quick Picks for Pre and Mains (QPPM)

• Samrat Choudhary: new CM of Bihar.
• Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Dao): located in the South China Sea → disputed between China, Philippines, and Taiwan.
• Strait of Hormuz: links Persian Gulf to Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea → about 20% of the world’s crude oil supply passes through the strait.
• Sabah state: Malaysia
• Project Glasswing: a cybersecurity initiative launched by Anthropic to secure critical software.

Coming soon…