Daily Current Affairs- 6th May 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 6th May 2026

Union Cabinet clears two new semiconductor projects under India Semiconductor Mission

In the News: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on May 5, 2026 approved two new semiconductor manufacturing projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), entailing a cumulative investment of approximately Rs. 3,936 crore. Both facilities will be set up in Gujarat and include the country's first commercial Mini/Micro-LED display manufacturing unit based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, marking a significant step in India's transition into advanced compound semiconductor manufacturing.

Key Points:

• Cabinet Approval: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared two new semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) on May 5, 2026, with a combined investment outlay of around Rs. 3,936 crore.
• Project Location: Both approved facilities will be established in Gujarat, with one project located in Dholera and the other in Surat, further strengthening Gujarat's position as a leading hub for semiconductor manufacturing in India.
• First Project (Crystal Matrix Limited): Crystal Matrix Limited (CML) will set up an integrated compound semiconductor fabrication and Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP) facility in Dholera, Gujarat, which will be India's first commercial Mini/Micro-LED display manufacturing unit based on Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology.
• CML Production Capacity: The Crystal Matrix facility will have an annual production capacity of 72,000 square metres of Mini/Micro-LED display panels and 24,000 sets of RGB Gallium Nitride epitaxy wafers, along with GaN foundry services including epitaxy on six-inch wafers.
• Second Project (Suchi Semicon): Suchi Semicon Private Limited (SSPL) will establish an Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility in Surat, Gujarat, dedicated to the manufacturing of discrete semiconductors used across multiple industrial applications.
• India Semiconductor Mission (ISM): The India Semiconductor Mission was launched in 2021 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) with an initial outlay of Rs. 76,000 crore, aimed at developing a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in India.

Centre Approves Proposal to Increase Supreme Court Judge Strength to 37

In the News: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on May 5, 2026 approved a proposal to raise the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The Cabinet also cleared the introduction of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament, which will amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 with the aim of tackling rising case pendency and ensuring speedy delivery of justice.

Key Points:

• Cabinet Decision: The Union Cabinet on May 5, 2026 approved the proposal to raise the strength of the Supreme Court of India by four judges, taking the total sanctioned strength from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.
• Legislative Mechanism: The proposal will be implemented through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 to give statutory effect to the increase in judicial strength.
• Constitutional Basis: The expansion derives its authority from Article 124(1) of the Constitution of India, which provides that the Supreme Court shall consist of a Chief Justice of India and such number of other judges as Parliament may determine by law, allowing periodic legislative revision of the court's strength.
• Original Constitutional Strength: When the Constitution was adopted in 1950, the original sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was fixed at 8 judges in total, including the Chief Justice of India, marking the baseline from which all subsequent revisions are counted.
• Original Statutory Strength: When the 1956 Act was enacted, the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was fixed at 10 judges, excluding the Chief Justice of India, in line with the rising volume of cases at the time.
• Earlier Amendments: The strength was raised to 13 by the 1960 Amendment Act, to 17 by the 1977 Amendment Act, to 25 by the 1986 Amendment Act, to 30 by the 2008 Amendment Act, and to 33 by the 2019 Amendment Act, with the present 2026 proposal marking the seventh upward revision in the Supreme Court's sanctioned strength since 1950.
• Sixth Amendment to 1956 Act: The 2026 Bill, when enacted, will be the sixth amendment to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, while it counts as the seventh official increase in the Supreme Court's history when measured from the original constitutional baseline of 8 judges set in 1950, since the 1956 Act itself was the first revision of that baseline.
• Working Strength Cap: From 1977 until the end of 1979, the working strength of the Supreme Court was administratively capped at 15 judges by the Cabinet, despite the statutory ceiling being 17, with the restriction subsequently lifted at the request of the then Chief Justice of India.
• Pendency Burden: The government cited the mounting pendency of cases as the central rationale for the expansion, with over 92,000 cases currently awaiting adjudication before the apex court, putting significant pressure on the existing bench strength.
• Appointment Process: Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the President of India under Article 124(2) of the Constitution, on the recommendation of the Collegium system comprising the Chief Justice of India and four senior-most judges of the Supreme Court.

NCRB Reports Rise in Juvenile Crime Cases

In the News: The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data has flagged a continued rise in juvenile crime cases across India, with Delhi retaining its position as the metropolitan city recording the highest number of cases and the highest crime rate among children in conflict with the law. According to the NCRB report released on May 6, 2026, Delhi recorded around 42 Children in Conflict with the Law (CCL) per one lakh minors in 2024, while the 2023 nationwide figures showed a 2.7 percent rise in registered juvenile cases over 2022.

Key Points:

• Reporting Agency: The data has been compiled and released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the nodal agency under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) responsible for collecting and analysing crime data in India under the Indian Police Act and the Delhi Police Establishment Act framework.
• National Trend in 2023: A total of 31,365 cases were registered against juveniles across the country in 2023, marking an increase of 2.7 percent compared to the figures recorded in 2022, indicating a sustained upward trajectory in juvenile offending.
• Delhi's 2024 Figures: Delhi continued to dominate juvenile crime statistics in 2024, registering 2,306 cases of Children in Conflict with the Law, the highest among all metropolitan cities, with a crime rate of approximately 42 per one lakh minors.
• Other Metropolitan Cities: After Delhi, Chennai recorded 466 juvenile cases in 2024, while Bengaluru reported 386 such cases, indicating that the concentration of juvenile crime in metropolitan zones remains a serious urban policing concern.
• Nature of Offences: Cases registered against juveniles span a wide spectrum, ranging from petty thefts and snatching to more serious offences including assault, robbery, and crimes against women and children, reflecting both economic and behavioural dimensions of the issue.
• Legal Framework: Juvenile cases in India are dealt with under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which classifies offenders as Children in Conflict with the Law (CCL) and follows a reformative rather than punitive approach for children below 18 years of age.
• Heinous Offences Provision: Under the 2015 Act, juveniles in the age group of 16 to 18 years can be tried as adults for heinous offences (those carrying punishment of seven years or more), subject to a preliminary assessment by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB).
• Constitutional and Statutory Backdrop: The protection of children's rights is anchored in Article 15(3), Article 39(e) and (f), and Article 45 of the Constitution of India, supported by the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

Supreme Court Hears Challenge to Election Commissioners Act

In the News: The Supreme Court of India refused to stay the operation of the new law governing the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and Election Commissioners (ECs). A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta declined to grant interim relief at this stage, observing that the Lok Sabha elections were approaching, and held that the Constitution Bench judgement did not specifically prescribe the composition of the selection committee.

Key Points:

• Law Under Challenge: The petitioners sought a stay on the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, which governs the appointment process and service conditions of the CEC and ECs.
• Bench Composition: The matter was heard by a bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta, which considered a batch of petitions challenging the validity of the new appointment framework.
• Refusal to Stay: The Supreme Court declined to stay the operation of the 2023 Act at the present stage, noting that the Lok Sabha elections were approaching and that judicial intervention at that point would not be appropriate.
• Selection Committee Composition: Under the 2023 Act, the selection committee for the appointment of the CEC and ECs comprises the Prime Minister, a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition (or the leader of the largest opposition party) in the Lok Sabha.
• Background of Constitution Bench Ruling: The 2023 Act was enacted following the Constitution Bench judgement of the Supreme Court in Anoop Baranwal versus Union of India (March 2023), which had directed that until Parliament enacted a law, the appointments would be made by a panel consisting of the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
• Departure from Earlier Ruling: The 2023 Act replaced the Chief Justice of India in the selection committee with a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister, a change that forms the principal ground of challenge in the petitions filed before the apex court.
• Newly Appointed Election Commissioners: The Supreme Court noted that there were no allegations levelled against the newly appointed Election Commissioners, namely Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, who were appointed under the new framework.
• Petitioners' Concerns: The petitioners argued that the exclusion of the Chief Justice of India from the selection committee dilutes the independence of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and undermines the principle of free and fair elections, which forms part of the basic structure of the Constitution.

INS Mahendragiri Inducted into Indian Navy

In the News: The Indian Navy received INS Mahendragiri (Yard 12654), the sixth stealth frigate under the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A), from Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL) on April 30, 2026. With this induction, the Indian Navy has taken delivery of six Project 17A frigates in less than 17 months, marking a significant milestone in the country's pursuit of self-reliance in warship design and construction under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Key Points:

• Delivery and Builder: INS Mahendragiri was delivered to the Indian Navy on April 30, 2026 by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), Mumbai, and is the fourth and final ship to be built by MDSL under the Project 17A programme.
• Project 17A Programme: The Project 17A programme comprises a total of seven advanced stealth frigates, with four ships constructed by MDSL and the remaining three built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
• Naming Convention: All vessels in the series are named after prominent Indian hill ranges, namely INS Nilgiri, INS Himgiri, INS Udaygiri, INS Dunagiri, INS Taragiri, INS Vindhyagiri, and INS Mahendragiri.
• Delivery Timeline: The first ship of the class, INS Nilgiri, was delivered by MDSL on December 20, 2024, and the Indian Navy has since received six frigates within a span of less than 17 months, reflecting accelerated indigenous shipbuilding capacity.
• Predecessor Class: The Project 17A frigates are the successors to the Shivalik-class frigates and feature significantly improved stealth characteristics, upgraded weapon and sensor suites, and enhanced platform management systems.

Santa Marta Climate Conference, Background, Objectives, Role

In the News: The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels, co-hosted by Colombia and the Netherlands, was held in Santa Marta, Colombia from April 24 to 29, 2026. The Conference served as the first implementation-focused international platform dedicated to advancing a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, complementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and feeding directly into the COP30 Presidency Roadmap.

Key Points:

• Background and Origin: The Conference traces its political mandate to paragraph 28(d) of the first Global Stocktake (GST) decision adopted at COP28 in Dubai (November-December 2023), which called on Parties to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly, and equitable manner to achieve net zero by 2050 in line with 1.5°C pathways.
• Co-Hosts and Venue: The Conference was co-hosted by the Government of Colombia and the Government of the Netherlands and was convened in Santa Marta, Colombia, marking the first dedicated international forum focused exclusively on the implementation of the fossil fuel transition.
• Nature of the Forum: The Conference is not a negotiating body and does not replace the UNFCCC, but functions as a sustained political platform for countries ready to deliver implementation-driven action toward an orderly phase-out of fossil fuels and as a complementary space contributing to the COP30 Presidency's roadmap.
• Three Guiding Principles: The Conference was guided by three principles, namely participation by those ready to move forward, implementation as the guiding star based on shared scientific certainty, and a focus on solutions that meaningfully support the transition rather than delay it.
• Three Thematic Pillars: The synthesis report was organised around three thematic pillars, covering overcoming economic dependence on fossil fuels, transforming supply and demand, and advancing international cooperation and climate diplomacy.
• Participation Scale: A total of 57 countries participated in the Conference, representing approximately one-third of global GDP, around one-third of global fossil fuel consumption, and roughly one-fifth of global fossil fuel production, while 2,608 organisations expressed interest in participating.
• Second Conference Announcement: A second Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels was announced for 2027, to be co-hosted by Tuvalu and Ireland, with the main conference taking place in Tuvalu and a pre-conference meeting in Ireland.
• Coordination Group: A coordination group was established to ensure continuity towards future conferences, comprising countries leading various transition alliances and initiatives along with Colombia, the Netherlands, Tuvalu, and Ireland, and connected with the COP30 Activation Group 4.

India to Participate in FIFA ASEAN Cup

In the News: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has signed a participation agreement with FIFA to feature in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, which is expected to be hosted in the September to October international window. The tournament was announced by FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the 47th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025, and brings together football associations from across Southeast Asia along with invited nations India and China.

Key Points:

• Participation Confirmed: AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan confirmed that the federation has accepted FIFA's invitation and signed the participation agreement, with further operational details still awaited from the world governing body.
• Tournament Window: The competition is expected to be staged between September 21 and October 6, 2026, falling within the official FIFA international match window for senior national teams.
• Special Invitees: India and China have been invited to join the Southeast Asian nations, ensuring the participation of the two most populous countries in the world and expanding the regional footprint of the tournament.
• Format Structure: The competition will feature 14 teams across a two-division format, with Division 1 comprising eight teams split into two groups and Division 2 featuring six teams divided into two groups, with placements decided on the basis of FIFA rankings.
• Host Nations: Indonesia is expected to host the Division 1 group stage matches, while Division 2 fixtures are reportedly set to take place in Hong Kong.
• Knockout Stage: The tournament will not include semi-finals, as the group winners in each division will directly face off in a final while the runners-up will compete for third place, with each team playing between two and four matches.
• Prize Money: Every participating nation will receive a guaranteed participation fee of US$125,000, with Division 1 champions earning US$1 million and Division 2 winners receiving US$300,000, taking the total prize pool to approximately US$4 million.
• Indian Context: India are currently ranked 136 in the FIFA rankings and are placed alongside Thailand, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore in the projected Division 1 line-up.