Daily Bulletin

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, issued notice to the Centre on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, regarding a petition by the Digital News Publishers Association challenging provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025. The Association argues that the Act's failure to exempt journalistic activities, particularly specific sections related to notice, prior consent, and data erasure, contravenes the fundamental right to information and freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, potentially hindering newsroom operations.

The Union Cabinet, on October 28, 2026, approved the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PMVGSY) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with a total financial outlay of ₹7,395 crore for five years from 2026-27 to 2030-31. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the scheme aims to transform over 2.78 lakh Rural Local Bodies and Traditional Bodies across all States and Union Territories, including non-Part IX areas, into empowered, self-reliant, accountable, and high-performing institutions of local self-government, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat.

The Supreme Court, on October 28, 2026, set aside a Rajasthan High Court order that had granted regular bail to Jhabra Ram, an accused in an espionage case involving sensitive military information, directing him to surrender within two weeks. A bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Prasanna B Varale ruled that while communication of grounds of arrest is a crucial constitutional and statutory safeguard under Article 22(1) of the Constitution and Section 47 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, there was substantial compliance in this case. Jhabra Ram is accused under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, for allegedly transmitting military photographs and troop movement details from Pokhran and Jaisalmer to a Pakistani intelligence agency.

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant emphasized the critical role of ethics in the legal profession during the 2nd Monthly Lecture Series on Law, Justice and Legal Education on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. He stated that while differences of opinion and criticism are legitimate, they must be expressed with fairness, restraint, and respect for institutional integrity, underscoring that the dignity of the justice system relies on the conduct of Bar members both inside and outside the courtroom.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY) on Wednesday, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a total outlay of Rs 7,395.55 crore for implementation from 2026–27 to 2030–31. This initiative aims to strengthen grassroots governance and rural development by benefiting approximately 32 lakh elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries across over 2.55 lakh Panchayats. The scheme will promote participatory planning, capacity building, and transparent resource utilisation, including the annual preparation of 2.55 lakh Gram Panchayat Development Plans via the eGramSwaraj Portal and online audit plans through AuditOnline. It will also leverage PANCHAM, an AI-enabled multilingual platform, to enhance public awareness of government programmes.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, October 27, ruled that a lender or debenture holder exercising pervasive influence over a corporate debtor's management and policy decisions qualifies as a "related party" under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016, and is thus ineligible to participate in the Committee of Creditors (CoC). A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K. Vinod Chandran dismissed an appeal by ECL Finance Ltd., which had sought inclusion in the CoC for Palm Developers Private Limited, after finding its all-pervasive control over policy-making. The Court clarified that the influence need not amount to complete control but a "role of navigation" in determining policy and channelizing business interests is sufficient under Section 5(24)(m)(i) of the IBC.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Gram Swaraj Yojana (PM VGSY) as a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31, co-terminus with the Sixteenth Finance Commission period. With a total outlay of Rs.7,395.55 crore (Central Share: Rs.4,869.48 crore, State Share: Rs.2,526.07 crore), the scheme aims to strengthen grassroots governance by supporting the annual preparation of 2.55 lakh holistic Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs) on the eGramSwaraj Portal. It will also enhance the governance capabilities of approximately 32 lakh elected representatives and Panchayat functionaries annually through capacity building and digital handholding, alongside supporting 2.55 lakh online audit plans through AuditOnline to ensure transparent resource utilization. The scheme, which extends to all States/UTs including non-Part IX areas, will utilize platforms like PANCHAM for awareness generation, aiming...

The Supreme Court, comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran, has set aside a Madhya Pradesh High Court order that quashed a rape case based on a compromise between the parties, asserting that serious offences like rape cannot be quashed solely on settlement. The Court emphasized that such inherent powers under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) should not be exercised in cases involving heinous crimes, especially when the victim in the instant case reported being coerced into the settlement. While granting anticipatory bail to the accused, the bench directed that the trial proceed, expressing concern over false complaints made for financial lure and settlements obtained through coercion on October 28, 2026.