Daily Current Affairs — 21 September 2026
Daily Current Affairs · 21 September 2026
10 fully-analysed topics · 30 bilingual MCQs · 3 embedded videos · built for UPSC Prelims & Mains
🎯 30 MCQs
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Indian Polity MCQ Quiz · भारतीय राजव्यवस्था प्रश्नोत्तरी
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Polity
Role of ECI in Resolving Political Party Disputes & Symbol Allocation
The Election Commission of India (ECI) froze the 'All India Trinamool Congress' name and its reserved symbol due to competing claims from rival factions ahead of the West Bengal Assembly bypolls.
- Freezing of Symbols: If the ECI cannot conclude proceedings before an imminent election, it may issue an interim order to freeze the reserved symbol
- Paragraph 15: Under the 1968 Order, the ECI is the sole authority empowered to decide
- Unrecognised Parties: For registered but unrecognised parties
- Test of Aims and Objects: Examining the party's constitution and primary objectives.
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- It must earn its own State or National recognition based strictly on its future electoral performance, regardless of its past association.
Which of the following statements about Role of ECI in Resolving Political Party Disputes & Symbol is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Polity
Election Commission of India
Recently, the Election Commissioner of India resigned from his post, just days ahead of the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections.
- About: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for administering Union
- It is not concerned with the elections to panchayats and municipalities in the states
- Part XV (Article 324-329): It deals with elections and establishes a commission for these matters.
- Article 324: Superintendence, direction and control of elections to be vested in an Election Commission.
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- Article 325: No person to be ineligible for inclusion in
- Article 326: Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be based on adult suffrage.
- Article 327: Power of Parliament to make provision with respect to elections to Legislatures.
- Article 328: Power of Legislature of a State to make provision with respect to elections to such Legislature.
- Article 329: Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters.
- Originally the commission had only one election commissioner but after the Election Commissioner Amendment Act 1989, it was made a multi-member body.
Which of the following statements about Election Commission of India is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Polity
Article 324 and ECI’s Transfer of Officials
The Election Commission of India (ECI) transferred several senior officials, including the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police in election-bound states like West Bengal, ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
- This move, taken without prior consultation with the State government, has sparked a constitutional debate on the scope
- About: Article 324 vests the Election Commission of India with the superintendence, direction, and control of elections
- The ECI frequently invokes this article as a blanket provision to justify administrative actions
- However, these powers are not absolute and they can be exercised only in areas where no law exists.
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- Where Parliament or a State Legislature has enacted a valid law on elections
- The Court emphasized that the ECI must be responsible to the rule of law, act bona fide, and adhere to the norms of natural justice
- Lack of Statutory Backing: Neither the Representation of the People Act of 1950 nor the RPA
- Conflict with Existing Legal Frameworks: Under the All India Services Act
- Critics argue that using the objective of "free
- Moreover, transferring election officials just before elections can disrupt preparedness and affect smooth conduct of polls.
Which of the following statements about Article 324 and ECI’s Transfer of Officials is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Polity
Election Symbols
The Election Commission allotted the "two swords and shield" symbol to the Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena for the upcoming byelection.
- The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers the Election Commission to recognise political parties and allot symbols.
- About: An electoral or election symbol is a standardized symbol allocated to a political party.
- They are used by the parties during their campaigning and are shown on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs)
- They were introduced to facilitate voting by illiterate people, who can't read the name of the party while casting their votes.
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- In the 1960s, it was proposed that the regulation, reservation
- In a response to this proposal, the ECI stated
- Every national party and every state party is allotted a symbol exclusively reserved for its use throughout the country and the states respectively.
- Under Paragraph 15 of the Order, EC can decide disputes among rival groups or sections of a recognised political party staking claim to its name
- They could lay claim to national or state party status only on the basis of its performance in state or central elections after registration.
Which of the following statements about Election Symbols is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
History
SLINEX-26
The 13th edition of Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise (SLINEX-26) is being conducted at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh from 17th –21st September 2026 under the aegis of the Eastern Naval Command.
- About: SLINEX is a bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Sri Lanka Navy
- Phases: The exercise comprises two phases — Harbour Phase involving professional interactions and cultural activities
- Participating Platforms: The Indian Navy is participating with INS Kavaratti
- Significance: The exercise is aligned with India's MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision
Complete Indian Polity MCQ | Laxmikanth (UPSC, PSC and SSC)
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Defence
INS Kavaratti
Recently, INS Kavaratti has been formally inducted into the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard in Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Visakhapatnam.
- It is named after the capital of the Lakshadweep group of islands.
- It is the last of the four indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes built under Project 28 (Kamorta class)
- The ship is regarded as one of the most potent ASW stealth corvettes to have been constructed in India as it joins three other ships of the same
- INS Kavaratti and INS Kiltan are the first two major warships in the country to have the unique feature of the superstructure made of carbon fibre
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- Some of the major equipment/ systems developed indigenously include Combat Management System
With reference to INS Kavaratti, consider the following statements:
- It is named after the capital of the Lakshadweep group of islands
- It is the last of the four indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes built under Project 14 (Kamorta class)
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source.
Not quite. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source. The green option is the correct one.
Defence
MAHASAGAR Initiative
Recently, the first session of MAHASAGAR, the Indian Navy's initiative, brought together maritime leaders from diverse nations within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- MAHASAGAR stands for Maritime Heads for Active Security And Growth for All in the Region
- In 2015, India unveiled its strategic vision for the Indian Ocean i.e
Which of the following statements about MAHASAGAR Initiative is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
History
Swachhata Hi Seva 2026
The Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2026 campaign is being organised from 17th September to 2nd October 2026 with the theme: "Swachhata Mein Sahbhag; Swachh Bharat, Viksit Bharat".
- About: Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) has been observed annually since 2017 as a cleanliness campaign conducted before Swachh Bharat Diwas on 2nd October.
- Objective: The campaign aims to promote voluntary citizen participation
- Evolution: The campaign has expanded towards sustainable sanitation
- Approach: The campaign follows a Whole of Government and Whole of Society approach
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- Transformation of Cleanliness Target Units (CTUs) and Clean Public Places: The campaign focuses on transforming neglected garbage points
- Public and community toilets are assessed through FACES parameters, which include Functional, Accessible, Clean, Eco-friendly and Safe facilities.
- Students from Classes 6 to 12 participate in Swachhata Gyan Yatras to understand waste management and sanitation practices.
- The campaign promotes awareness about the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, four-way source segregation, home composting and reduction of littering.
- These initiatives aim to transform waste into resources while encouraging creativity and sustainability.
- About: Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) was launched on 2nd October 2014 as one of the world's largest government-led sanitation movements
Which of the following statements about Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Environment
Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has notified the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, superseding the 2016 rules under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
- Effective from 1st April 2026, these rules enforce stricter waste segregation and accountability across both urban and rural local bodies.
- Four-stream Segregation of Solid Waste at Source: The SWM Rules
- This covers residential societies, government buildings, and universities, which account for 30% of total waste
- RDF is a high-calorific fuel produced by processing non-recyclable municipal solid waste through shredding, drying, and pelletizing
Which of the following statements about Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026 is correct?
Correct. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute.
Not quite. The three wrong options each change one thing from the source: a figure, the institution involved, the direction of change, or a qualifier turned into an absolute. The green option is the correct one.
Economy
Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen
Over 1 lakh villages declared themselves as ODF (Open Defecation Free) Plus under Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G).
- These villages are sustaining their ODF status and have systems in place for managing solid and/or liquid waste
- ODF: An area can be notified or declared as ODF if at any point of the day, not even a single person is found defecating in the open.
- ODF+: This status is given if at any point of the day
- ODF++: This status is given if the area is already ODF+ and the faecal sludge/septage and sewage are safely managed and treated
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- About: It was launched in 2014 by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to accelerate the efforts to achieve universal sanitation coverage
- The mission was implemented as nation-wide campaign/Janandolan which aimed at eliminating open defecation in rural areas.
- The rural sanitation coverage in the country at the time of launch of SBM (G) on 2nd October, 2014 was reported as 38.7%.
- More than 10 crore individual toilets have been constructed since the launch of the mission
- It emphasizes the sustainability of achievements under phase I
- It will be implemented from 2020-21 to 2024-25 in a mission mode with a total outlay of Rs. 1,40,881 crores.
With reference to Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen, consider the following statements:
- These villages are sustaining their ODF status and have systems in place for managing solid and/or liquid waste
- ODF: An area must be notified or declared as ODF if at any point of the day, not even a single person is found defecating in the open
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Correct. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source.
Not quite. Check each statement on its own before looking at the options. One of the two alters a figure, an institution or the direction of change stated in the source. The green option is the correct one.
Indian History MCQ Quiz · भारतीय इतिहास प्रश्नोत्तरी
A second members-only subject quiz – lock in today's study session
Current affairs alone will not clear Prelims. Close the day on the static syllabus with this members-only quiz.
