Daily Current Affairs- 20th August 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 20th August 2026

Cabinet Approves Permanent Ladakh Bench for J&K High Court

In the News: The Union Cabinet approved the establishment of a permanent Bench of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in the Union Territory of Ladakh. The move is intended to improve access to High Court-level justice for residents of the geographically remote UT, who currently depend mainly on the Jammu and Srinagar wings.

Key Points:

• Common High Court: Section 75 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 provides for a common High Court for the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The new Ladakh Bench does not create a separate High Court for Ladakh.
• Existing Judicial Structure: The High Court presently functions through its Jammu and Srinagar wings. The Ladakh Bench will provide an additional judicial location, reducing the need for litigants from Leh, Kargil and adjoining areas to travel outside the UT.
• J&K Reorganisation: The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 reorganised the former State into the UT of Jammu and Kashmir with a legislature and the UT of Ladakh without a legislature. Both Union Territories came into existence on October 31, 2019.
• Name of the Court: In 2021, the common court was formally renamed the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh through the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2021.

Centre empowers DCs in six border states, UTs to grant citizenship to eligible applicants

In the News: The Union Home Ministry notified the Citizenship (Third Amendment) Rules, 2026, authorising District Collectors in six border States and the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh to deal with specified applications for citizenship by registration or naturalisation. The States covered are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura.

Key Points:

• States and UTs Covered: The notified arrangement covers Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, Assam and Tripura, along with Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Tribal areas of Assam and Tripura have been kept outside the notified arrangement.
• Legal Framework: Indian citizenship is governed principally by the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship Rules, 2009. Section 5 deals with citizenship by registration, while Section 6 provides for citizenship by naturalisation.
• Role of Collectors: The Collector may scrutinise documents, conduct necessary inquiries, administer the prescribed oath of allegiance and assess whether an applicant satisfies the applicable legal conditions.
• CAA Linkage: Citizenship applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 are made under Section 6B of the Citizenship Act. It covers Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who satisfy the prescribed conditions.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir Elected Bangladesh President

In the News: Bangladesh's Parliament elected veteran Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as President. He secured 255 votes against 88 for his rival, in Bangladesh's first contested presidential election since 1991.

Key Points:

• Method of Election: Under Article 48 of the Constitution of Bangladesh, the President is elected by members of Parliament. This differs from India's system, where the President is elected through an electoral college.
• Term of Office: Article 50 provides that the President holds office for five years from the date of assuming office. No person can serve as President for more than two terms.
• Constitutional Position: Bangladesh follows a parliamentary system in which the presidency is largely ceremonial and executive government is headed by the Prime Minister. The President generally acts on the advice of the Prime Minister.
• Supreme Command: Article 61 of the Constitution states that the supreme command of Bangladesh's defence services is vested in the President, with its exercise regulated by law.
• Historic Election: The 2026 election was the first contested presidential election in Bangladesh since October 1991. Presidential elections in the intervening period had largely been uncontested.

India and Japan Sign Maritime Security Pact

In the News: India and Japan strengthened their defence partnership on August 20, 2026, during talks between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in New Delhi. The two sides signed a Memorandum of Arrangement on Maritime Security Cooperation aimed at expanding operational coordination in the Indo-Pacific.

Key Points:

• Areas of Cooperation: The maritime arrangement covers Maritime Domain Awareness, information sharing, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and greater interaction between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
• Strategic Partnership: India-Japan relations were elevated to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014. Defence and maritime cooperation have since become important pillars of bilateral relations.
• Logistics Agreement: India and Japan signed the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) in September 2020. It facilitates reciprocal logistical support between the armed forces of the two countries.
• Major Exercises: JIMEX is the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Dharma Guardian is an army exercise, while Veer Guardian involves the two air forces.
• Indo-Pacific Link: The latest engagement highlighted convergence between India's maritime vision and Japan's Free and Open Indo-Pacific approach, including cooperation in naval shipbuilding and defence technology.

Two Mumbai Doctors To Receive Nishan-e-Imtiaz

In the News: Pakistan has announced the posthumous conferment of the Nishan-e-Imtiaz on Mumbai-based Parsi physicians Dr Jal Rattanji Patel and Dr Jal Daeboo, who treated Muhammad Ali Jinnah before Partition. The awards are scheduled to be formally presented on Pakistan Day, March 23, 2027.

Key Points:

• Recipients: Dr Jal Rattanji Patel was a physician associated with Jinnah's treatment, while Dr Jal Daeboo was a radiologist. Both were associated with Bombay, present-day Mumbai, and have been honoured posthumously.
• Jinnah's Illness: Historical accounts state that the doctors examined Jinnah during the 1940s and were aware that he was suffering from advanced tuberculosis. They maintained the confidentiality of his medical condition.
• Historical Timeline: Pakistan came into existence in August 1947, while Muhammad Ali Jinnah died on September 11, 1948. His serious illness remained largely outside public knowledge during the period preceding Partition.
• Award Calendar: Pakistan traditionally announces major national civil awards on its Independence Day, August 14, with the formal investiture generally taking place on Pakistan Day, March 23 of the following year.
• Book Connection: The secrecy surrounding Jinnah's illness was discussed in Freedom at Midnight, written by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, which covers Partition and the transfer of power in 1947.

Sajjan Kumar dies: What Nanavati Commission said about his role in 1984 riots

In the News: Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, who was serving life imprisonment in cases arising from the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, died on August 20, 2026, at the age of 80. He had been convicted in multiple cases connected with the violence.

Key Points:

• 1984 Violence: The anti-Sikh violence erupted after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31, 1984, by two of her Sikh bodyguards. Large-scale attacks against Sikhs subsequently occurred in Delhi and several other places.
• Nanavati Commission: The Justice G.T. Nanavati Commission of Inquiry was constituted in May 2000 to investigate the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. It was headed by Justice G.T. Nanavati, a retired Supreme Court judge, and submitted its report in 2005.
• Finding on Sajjan Kumar: The Commission stated that there was credible material against Sajjan Kumar and recommended examination of cases in which he had been specifically named but where no chargesheet had been filed.
• 2018 Conviction: In December 2018, the Delhi High Court sentenced Kumar to life imprisonment in a case involving the killing of five Sikhs and the burning of a gurdwara during the 1984 violence.
• Second Life Sentence: In February 2025, a Delhi court imposed another life sentence on Kumar for the killing of Jaswant Singh and his son Tarundeep Singh on November 1, 1984.