CURRENT AFFAIRS 22-23 May, 2026

CURRENT AFFAIRS 22-23 May, 2026

1. RAGHAV CHADHA HEADS RAJYA SABHA COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS –

• Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha member, was appointed chairman of the Committee on Petitions of the Upper House on 23 May 2026. The appointment took effect on 20 May 2026 after the committee was reconstituted by Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan.

Committee on Petitions in Parliament

• The Committee on Petitions is a parliamentary committee of the Rajya Sabha that examines petitions presented before the House. It makes recommendations on matters of public importance and legislative concern.

Composition and Nomination

• C.P. Radhakrishnan nominated 10 members to the Committee on Petitions. The panel includes Harsh Mahajan, Gulam Ali, Shambhu Sharan Patel, Mayankkumar Nayak, Masthan Rao Yadav Beedha, Jebi Mather Hisham, Subhasish Khuntia, Rwngwra Narzary, and P. Sandosh Kumar.

2. UN HONOURS MAJOR ABHILASHA BARAK WITH GENDER ADVOCATE AWARD –

• Indian Army officer Major Abhilasha Barak received the United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for 2025 on 22-23 May 2026. She serves with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon as Commander of the Female Engagement Team in the Indian Battalion.

United Nations Military Gender Advocate Award

• The United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award was instituted in 2016 by the Office of Military Affairs under the United Nations Department of Peace Operations. The award is presented annually to a military peacekeeper for work related to gender equality and Women, Peace and Security.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325

• United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 was adopted in 2000 and deals with Women, Peace and Security. The resolution covers the participation of women in peace processes, the protection of women and girls in conflict, and gender perspectives in peacekeeping operations.

3. RBI APPROVES RECORD ₹2.87 LAKH CRORE DIVIDEND –

• The Reserve Bank of India approved a dividend of ₹2,86,588. 46 crore for the Central Government for the accounting year 2025-26 on 22 May 2026. The amount is the largest surplus transfer in the history of the Reserve Bank of India and is 6.7% higher than the ₹2.69 lakh crore transferred in 2024-25.

Reserve Bank of India Dividend Framework

• The Reserve Bank of India transfers surplus income to the Central Government under its annual balance sheet and profit distribution process. The dividend is derived after meeting expenditure, provisions, and risk buffers under the central bank’s accounting framework.

Central Board of Directors Meeting

• The decision was taken in the 623rd meeting of the Central Board of Directors of the Reserve Bank of India in Mumbai. Governor Sanjay Malhotra chaired the meeting, which approved the surplus transfer for FY26.

4. SAUDI ARABIA JOINS INTERNATIONAL BIG CAT ALLIANCE –

• Saudi Arabia became the newest member of the International Big Cat Alliance on 22 May 2026. The alliance now has 26 member countries and five observer nations.

International Big Cat Alliance

• The International Big Cat Alliance is an India-led global initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023. The Union Cabinet approved the alliance in February 2024. The IBCA works for the conservation of seven big cat species: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.

Membership and Structure

• The IBCA includes member countries and observer nations. Saudi Arabia conveyed its intention to join the alliance in May 2026. The alliance provides a platform for coordinated action on wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection.

5. SC ORDERS MANDATORY FIRS IN MISSING CHILD CASES –

• The Supreme Court of India ordered all police stations in India to register a First Information Report for every complaint of a missing child or missing person. The order was passed on 22 May 2026 by a bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan. The directions cover missing children, missing adults, kidnapping-related offences, Anti-Human Trafficking Units, and a national data grid for trafficking cases.

First Information Report in Criminal Procedure

• A First Information Report is the written record of information relating to a cognisable offence under Indian criminal law. In missing child cases, the Court directed immediate registration of FIRs without a preliminary inquiry. The FIRs must include relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to kidnapping.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.  Ambazari Lake, that was recently seen in news, is located in which state ?

1. a) Maharashtra b) Gujarat
2. c) Karnataka d) Kerala

Q2.  Khet Bachao Abhiyan” is implemented by which institution ?

1. a) Indian Council of Agricultural Research
2. b) National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development
3. c) Food Corporation of India
4. d) Department of Rural Development

Q3.  RAINMUMBAI is India’s first exchange-traded weather derivatives contract launched by which institution ?

1. a) Bombay Stock Exchange
2. b) National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange
3. c) Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
4. d) Reserve Bank of India

Q4.  Consider the following statements regarding the law of Sedition (Section 124A of the IPC) in India:

1. More criticism of the government constitutes sedition.
2. It is a cognizable and non-bailable offence.
3. The Supreme Court of India in the Kedar Nath Singh vs. State of Bihar (1962) case ruled that the sedition law violates the right to freedom of speech and expression.

         Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 only
2. c) 2 and 3 only d) 1, 2, and 3

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is incorrect: In the landmark Kedar Nath Singh vs. State of Bihar (1962) judgment, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 124A but interpreted it very narrowly. The Court held that criticism of the government does not amount to sedition unless there is a clear intention or tendency to create public disorder, or an incitement to violence.
• Statement 2 is correct: Under the Indian Penal Code, Section 124A classifies sedition as a cognizable offence (meaning the police can arrest the accused without a warrant) and a non-bailable offence.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The Supreme Court did not declare sedition unconstitutional in the Kedar Nath Singh case. Instead, the Court upheld its validity precisely by interpreting it in a way that aligns with Article 19(2) (Reasonable Restrictions) of the Constitution.

Q5.  Consider the following statements with reference to the International Court of Justice (ICJ):

1. Only sovereign states can be parties in contentious cases before the ICJ.
2. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Security Council (UNSC) can request advisory opinions from the ICJ.
3. ICJ judgments are legally binding, and the UNSC is exclusively responsible for their automatic enforcement.
4. All members of the United Nations are ipso facto parties to the Statute of the Court.

         Which of the statements given above are correct ?

1. a) 1 and 2 only b) 1,3 and 4 only
2. c) 1, 2 and 4 only d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation-

• Statement 1 is correct: Under Article 34(1) of the ICJ Statute, only states (or sovereign entities) can be parties in contentious cases before the Court. This means private individuals, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), multinational corporations, and international organizations cannot bring a case to the ICJ or be a party in these disputes.
• Statement 2 is correct: The ICJ performs two main functions: resolving legal disputes between states (Contentious Cases) and giving Advisory Opinions. Under Article 96 of the UN Charter, Advisory Opinions can be requested by the UN General Assembly, the Security Council, and other authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. These opinions are non-binding but carry immense legal weight.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: ICJ judgments are indeed legally binding on the involved parties. However, there is no automatic enforcement mechanism. If a state fails to comply with an ICJ judgment, the other party may take the matter to the UN Security Council (UNSC). The UNSC may make recommendations or decide upon measures to enforce the judgment. However, this is not an automatic or guaranteed process, and it can be blocked by the veto power of any permanent UNSC member.
• Statement 4 is correct: According to Article 93(1) of the UN Charter, all 193 member states of the United Nations are automatically (ipso facto) parties to the ICJ Statute. States that are not UN members can also become parties to the Statute under conditions determined by the UNGA and UNSC.

Answer Key