Daily Current Affairs- 27th July 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 27th July 2026

Puri Jagannath Temple Moves to Trademark ‘Jagannath Dham’

In the News: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has received preliminary approval for trademark applications covering five sacred terms associated with the Puri shrine. The applications have cleared examination and are set to be published in the Trademark Journal. However, this stage does not amount to final registration.

Key Points:

• Protected Expressions: The five applications cover “Jagannath Dham”, “Shree Kshetra”, “Mahaprasad”, “Nilachakra” and “Koili Vaikuntha”. These expressions are closely associated with the religious traditions, rituals and identity of the 12th-century Jagannath Temple in Puri.
• Wider Trademark Initiative: These applications form part of a wider set of 29 trademark applications filed by the SJTA. The primary objective is to prevent unauthorised commercial exploitation of the temple’s sacred names, symbols and cultural identifiers.
• Background of the Dispute: The trademark initiative gained momentum after controversy arose over the use of the title “Jagannath Dham” for the Jagannath Temple inaugurated at Digha, West Bengal, in April 2025. Odisha maintained that the expression has historically been associated with Puri, one of the traditional Char Dham pilgrimage centres.
• Governing Legislation: Trademark registration in India is regulated by the Trade Marks Act, 1999, and the Trade Marks Rules, 2017. The Trade Marks Registry functions under the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
• Registration Process: After acceptance, an application is advertised in the Trademark Journal so that objections may be raised. Under Section 21 of the Trade Marks Act, any person may oppose registration within four months from the date of advertisement or re-advertisement.

Right to Protest in India: Constitutional Rights, Supreme Court Judgments, and Legal Limits Explained

In the News: The Supreme Court recently considered petitions alleging excessive police force against students protesting examination irregularities. The Court observed that the mere existence of an agitation cannot automatically justify a lathicharge and indicated that the conduct of both protesters and police authorities must be examined.

Key Points:

• Constitutional Foundation: The Constitution does not separately mention a “right to protest”. It is derived principally from Article 19(1)(a), which guarantees freedom of speech and expression, and Article 19(1)(b), which guarantees citizens the right to assemble peacefully and without arms.
• Reasonable Restrictions: Freedom of speech may be restricted under Article 19(2) on grounds including public order, security of the State and sovereignty and integrity of India. Peaceful assembly may be restricted under Article 19(3) in the interests of public order and the sovereignty and integrity of India.
• Ramlila Maidan Case: In Ramlila Maidan Incident (2012), the Supreme Court recognised peaceful assembly and expression as constitutionally protected liberties. It also held that even a valid prohibitory order could not be enforced through arbitrary or disproportionate police action.
• Shaheen Bagh Judgment: In Amit Sahni v. Commissioner of Police (2020), the Supreme Court held that dissent and protest are protected, but public roads and spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely. Authorities must balance the right to protest with the public’s right to movement and access.
• Prohibitory Powers: Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, replaces the former Section 144 of the CrPC. It permits Executive Magistrates to issue temporary orders to prevent riots, obstruction, danger to life or disturbance of public tranquillity, ordinarily for a maximum of two months.

PM Modi Announces Exam Reform Task Force Led by Nandan Nilekani to Strengthen India’s Examination System

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the constitution of a high-powered task force on examination reforms under the leadership of Nandan Nilekani. The initiative seeks to improve the credibility, transparency and technological robustness of India’s public examination system.

Key Points:

• Leadership of the Panel: The task force will be headed by Nandan Nilekani, co-founder of Infosys and the first Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India. He played a central role in the development of Aadhaar and several other components of India’s digital public infrastructure.
• Proposed Focus: The task force is expected to examine measures for making examinations trustworthy, transparent, technology-driven and resistant to paper leaks. Its recommendations may influence decisions concerning computer-based examinations, secure question-paper delivery and examination-data management.
• Task Force Composition: The six-member task force comprises Nandan Nilekani as Chairperson, former ISRO Chairman S. Somanath, former Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, IIT Madras Director V. Kamakoti, former Education Secretary Anita Karwal and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena. The announcement followed the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan amid nationwide protests over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak.
• Existing Central Law: The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, was enacted to prevent paper leaks, impersonation, organised cheating, fake examinations and tampering with computer systems. It is administered by the Department of Personnel and Training.
• Examinations Covered: The 2024 law covers examinations conducted by the UPSC, SSC, Railway Recruitment Boards, Institute of Banking Personnel Selection, National Testing Agency and notified Central Government bodies. Candidates are generally governed by the disciplinary rules of the concerned examination authority, while the Act primarily targets organised malpractice networks and service providers.

Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath Inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List

In the News: The Ancient Buddhist Site of Sarnath in Uttar Pradesh has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026. The decision was taken during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 19 to 29 July 2026.. Sarnath has consequently become India’s 45th World Heritage Site.

Key Points:

• Historical Importance: Sarnath, situated near Varanasi, is traditionally identified as the place where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment at Bodh Gaya. The event is known as Dharmachakra Pravartana, or the setting in motion of the Wheel of Dharma.
• UNESCO Selection Criteria: The site was inscribed under cultural criteria (iii) and (vi). Criterion (iii) relates to exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition, while criterion (vi) concerns association with events, beliefs or traditions of outstanding universal significance.
• Serial Property: UNESCO has classified Sarnath as a serial cultural property consisting of two archaeological zones. The inscribed property covers approximately 8.05 hectares and is surrounded by a buffer zone measuring around 72.2 hectares.
• Important Remains: The site contains stupas, monasteries, temples and remains associated with centuries of Buddhist patronage. Major attractions include the Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, monastic ruins and the Ashokan pillar whose Lion Capital became India’s State Emblem.
• World Heritage Committee: The World Heritage Committee implements the 1972 World Heritage Convention and decides which properties are inscribed on the World Heritage List. It consists of representatives of 21 States Parties and ordinarily meets once every year.

Fire Clouds and Europe’s Wildfires

In the News: A rare pyrocumulonimbus cloud, commonly called a “fire cloud” or “pyroCb”, formed over a massive wildfire near Saumos in the Gironde region of southwestern France on 24 July 2026. The wildfire-generated thunderstorm produced lightning and unpredictable winds, increasing the risk of new fires. The phenomenon highlighted the growing severity of wildfires across Europe amid prolonged heatwaves and drought conditions.

Key Points:

• Meaning of Pyrocumulonimbus: A pyrocumulonimbus is a thunderstorm cloud created when intense heat from a wildfire forces smoke, moisture and hot air rapidly upwards. Its formal meteorological name is cumulonimbus flammagenitus, while its commonly used abbreviation is pyroCb.
• Formation Process: Hot air containing smoke and moisture rises through convection and cools at higher altitudes. Water vapour condenses around ash particles, while ice crystals formed above the freezing level generate electrical charges and lightning, similar to an ordinary thunderstorm.
• Major Hazards: PyroCb clouds can produce lightning, violent downdrafts, fire whirls and rapidly changing winds. Lightning may ignite fresh fires away from the original blaze, while sudden wind shifts can change the direction of the wildfire and endanger firefighters and evacuation routes.
• Gironde Wildfire: The wildfire began near Saumos on 22 July 2026, and the pyroCb developed two days later. The blaze affected more than 420 square kilometres, damaged or destroyed over 240 homes and forced approximately 220,000 people to evacuate parts of the Gironde region.
• Climate Change Connection: PyroCb events have traditionally been associated with extreme fires in Australia and North America and remain relatively rare in Europe. However, rising temperatures, drought and increasingly severe heatwaves are making European forests more vulnerable to intense wildfires capable of generating their own weather systems.

CRPF Foundation Day 2026

In the News: The 88th Foundation Day or Raising Day of the Central Reserve Police Force was observed on 27 July 2026. Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted CRPF personnel and praised their courage, commitment to duty, contribution to internal security and role in countering Left-Wing Extremism.

Key Points:

• Origin of CRPF: The force was established on 27 July 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police. After Independence, it was renamed the Central Reserve Police Force when the Central Reserve Police Force Act, 1949 came into force on 28 December 1949.
• Administrative Control: The CRPF is India’s largest Central Armed Police Force and functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs. It assists state and Union Territory administrations in maintaining public order, conducting counter-insurgency operations and protecting internal security.
• Specialised Units: The Rapid Action Force, raised in 1992, specialises in riot control and handling communal disturbances. The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, or CoBRA, was created as a specialised jungle-warfare unit for operations against Left-Wing Extremism.
• Operational Responsibilities: The CRPF plays a major role in anti-Maoist operations, counter-insurgency duties, election security, protection of sensitive installations and disaster-relief activities. It has also participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions in locations such as Haiti, Kosovo and Liberia.