1 August 2026 Current Affairs (With PDF)

We bring you the most relevant and important news updates from around the world and India, specially curated for competitive exams and different entrance exams. Today's Current Affairs cover all significant national and international headlines, legal updates, economic news, and environmental highlights to boost your preparation. With our crisp, to-the-point coverage, you can confidently tackle current affairs questions in your exam.

PM CARES Fund: Transparency and Accountability

Why in News?

The PM CARES Fund has reportedly not published any audited financial statements since its last public disclosure for FY 2022–23, raising concerns regarding transparency and public accountability.

About PM CARES Fund

• Full Name: Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund.
• Established: 2020.
• Legal Status: A non-statutory public charitable trust established under the Registration Act, 1908.
• Objective: Mobilise voluntary contributions for strengthening healthcare infrastructure and providing relief during the COVID-19 pandemic and similar emergencies.

Composition of the Trust

• Prime Minister: Ex-officio Chairperson.
• Ex-officio Trustees: Union Ministers of Defence, Home Affairs and Finance.
• Nominated Members: The Prime Minister may nominate up to three eminent experts from fields such as science, law, medicine or philanthropy, serving on a pro bono basis.
• Advisory Board: The trust deed provides for an Advisory Board comprising up to 10 members.
• Administration: Day-to-day responsibilities are discharged honorarily by officers of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

Funding Mechanism

• Receives no budgetary support from the government.
• Relies entirely on voluntary contributions.
• Contributions are 100% tax-exempt.
• Donations can be counted towards the donor’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure.

Audit and Accountability

• The fund is not audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
• Its accounts are audited by an independent private accounting firm.
• latest publicly disclosed audited financial statements referred to in the context relate to FY 2022–23.

RTI Status

• PM CARES Fund is not treated as a “public authority” under Section 2(h) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, according to the given context.
• Consequently, it remains outside the RTI disclosure framework and parliamentary scrutiny described in the source.

Significance of the Debate

• Voluntary charitable funding and public accountability
• Administrative flexibility and transparency
• Private trust governance and public interest
• Emergency-response mechanisms and institutional oversight

Pellet Guns: Crowd Control, Legality and Human Rights

Why in News?

The Supreme Court held that pellet guns cannot be banned as long as existing advisories permit their use by security agencies for crowd control in exceptional circumstances. A challenge seeking prohibition would require questioning the governing provisions as ultra vires Article 21.

What are Pellet Guns?

• Pellet guns are a specialised form of air guns used as a non-lethal crowd-control weapon by police and military forces.
• A pellet cartridge contains numerous lead pellets.
• When fired, the cartridge bursts and releases hundreds of pellets from a single point.
• Despite being categorised as a non-lethal deterrent, their use can cause serious injuries.

Legal and Regulatory Framework

1. Indian Arms Act, 1959

• Governs the manufacture, sale, possession and use of arms and ammunition.
• Generally requires licences for firearms and dangerous weapons.

2. Arms Rules, 2016

• Replaced the earlier Arms Rules, 1962.
• Air rifles or air pistols with muzzle energy of 20 joules (15 foot-pounds) or less are exempt from licensing requirements.

3. BPRD Standard Operating Procedures, 2011

• The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) requires the use of force to be proportionate and only when absolutely necessary.
• The SOP does not specifically recommend pellet guns among non-lethal weapons; it refers to plastic pellets as an anti-riot measure.

Status in Crowd Control

• Pellet guns are categorised alongside tear gas, rubber bullets and smoke grenades as non-lethal deterrents.
• Their use is included in the Rapid Action Force (RAF) manual for crowd control.
• They were introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in 2010 by the Union Government.
• Plastic bullets were used during the 2021 farmers’ agitation.
• Recent deployment of pellet guns during student protests in Delhi generated criticism.

Concerns Surrounding Pellet Guns

1. Necessity and Proportionality

• The use of force must satisfy principles of necessity, proportionality and reasonableness.
• Excessive use can raise concerns under the constitutional protection of Article 21.

2. Human Rights Concerns

• Pellet guns can cause severe physical injuries and have been criticised as potentially inhuman or degrading forms of crowd control.
• Their use can aggravate tensions in vulnerable socio-political contexts.

3. International Standards

• The United Nations Guidelines on Less Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement emphasise necessity, proportionality and reasonableness in the use of force.

Ex Post Facto Environmental Clearances: Supreme Court Ruling

Why in News?

In Vanashakti v. Union of India, the Supreme Court struck down the 2021 Office Memorandum that permitted retrospective Environmental Clearances (ECs) on payment of ecological damage penalties, reinforcing the principle that environmental approval should ordinarily precede potentially harmful activities.

About the Supreme Court Ruling

• The Court held that administrative orders cannot override the EIA Notification, 2006.
• At the same time, it recognised the Union Government’s authority to issue time-bound notifications under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
• The judgment operates prospectively, preserving earlier clearances granted under the 2017 Notification and 2021 Office Memorandum.
• Ex post facto clearances cannot become a routine or permanent mechanism.
• Such clearances must satisfy public interest, proportionality and reasonableness, particularly in light of Articles 14 and 21.
• The Supreme Court retains the power to grant ex post facto clearances in appropriate cases through its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 142.

Why Are Ex Post Facto Clearances Controversial?

• An ex post facto environmental clearance permits a project that commenced or operated without the required prior environmental approval to subsequently obtain clearance.
• The central concern is that environmental assessment is preventive in nature. Allowing projects to operate first and seek approval later may weaken environmental safeguards and encourage a “violate first, clear later” approach.

Significance of the Judgment

1. Preventive Principle

• Reinforces the requirement of prior environmental clearance.
• Strengthens the Precautionary Principle, which requires environmental risks to be assessed before potentially irreversible damage occurs.

2. Polluter Pays Principle

• Violators may be required to bear costs associated with compensation, remediation and ecological restoration under lawful schemes.

3. Public Trust Doctrine

• Reaffirms the State’s responsibility to protect air, water and forests as public resources held in trust for the people rather than owned by the State.

4. Deterrence

• Restricting routine retrospective clearances discourages the practice of commencing projects without approval and regularising them later.

Key Judicial Precedents

1. Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. Rohit Prajapati (2020)

• The Supreme Court rejected ex post facto environmental clearances.
• Such a mechanism was viewed as encouraging the “violate first, clear later” approach.

2. Pahwa Plastics Pvt. Ltd. v. Dastak NGO (2022)

• The Court held that employment-generating operations should not necessarily be shut down merely for absence of prior EC where they comply with pollution norms and have not caused irreversible environmental harm.

3. Vanashakti Litigation (2025–26)

• A 2025 Bench invalidated retrospective clearances.
• The ruling was subsequently recalled on review to avoid disruption to public infrastructure.
• The subsequent ruling has now restricted routine retrospective clearances while preserving earlier clearances prospectively, as stated in the given context.

Environmental Clearance Framework

1. Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

• Sections 3 and 3(2)(v) empower the Central Government to regulate industries, prescribe pollution standards, require approvals and impose area-based restrictions.

2. EIA Notification, 2006

• Requires specified high-impact projects to obtain prior Environmental Clearance.
• Provides for a two-stage public consultation process before project clearance.

3. Exemptions

• Defence, national-security and strategic projects are exempt from public consultation.
• Details of such projects may remain confidential.

4. Draft EIA Notification, 2020

• Proposed a framework for retrospective clearances involving Project appraisal, Monetary penalties, Environmental compensation, Remediation plans

Constitutional Dimensions

1. Article 21

• The right to life has been interpreted to include the right to a clean and healthy environment, including in Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar (1991).
• Routine retrospective clearances may undermine this protection by permitting environmental damage before assessment.

2. Article 48A

• Directs the State to protect and improve the environment and safeguard forests and wildlife.

3. Article 51A(g)

• Places a fundamental duty on citizens to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.

Red Sea

Why in News?

The Houthis have announced a maritime blockade in the Red Sea, raising concerns over the security of a strategically important global trade and energy corridor.

Who are the Houthis?

• Official Name: Ansar Allah (Supporters of God).
• Country: Yemen.
• Nature: Zaidi Shia Islamist political and armed movement.
• External Support: Widely regarded as being backed by Iran.
• Regional Alignment: Considered an important member of the Axis of Resistance, alongside groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas.

About the Red Sea

• Location: A sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, situated between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula (Asia).
• Southern Connection: Linked to the Indian Ocean through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden.
• Northern Extensions: Branches into the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez, separated by the Sinai Peninsula.
• Strategic Importance: It is a major maritime corridor for global trade, energy transportation and naval operations, connecting Europe, Asia and Africa.

Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP)

Why in News?

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) launched India’s first sovereign-backed Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance product under the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (BMIP). The first P&I policy document was handed over to Shipping Corporation of India Limited.

About BMIP

• Launched: 12 May 2026 by the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance.
• Cabinet Approval: 18 April 2026.
• Nature: A state-backed co-insurance and reinsurance pool.
• Administration: General Insurance Corporation of India Re.

How Does BMIP Work?

• Domestic insurers participating as pool members issue policies by drawing upon the pool’s combined underwriting capacity.
• Risks are subsequently reinsured among participating insurers in proportion to their committed capacity.
• The pool has its own USD 100 million layer for claims.
• A sovereign guarantee operates above this layer and can be invoked only after the pool’s reserves, member contributions and reinsurance resources are exhausted.

Capacity & Sovereign Support

• Total pool capacity: USD 1.5 billion.
• Sovereign guarantee: ₹12,980 crore (approximately USD 1.4 billion).
• Pool’s own claims threshold: USD 100 million.

Coverage

• BMIP provides coverage for Hull & Machinery, Cargo, Protection & Indemnity, War Risk.
• Coverage applies to Indian-flagged or Indian-controlled vessels, as well as vessels destined for or originating from India.

Kanwar Yatra

Why in News?

The annual Kanwar Yatra has commenced across North India during the month of Shravan, with extensive security arrangements put in place along pilgrimage routes.

The 12 Jyotirlingas

• Somnath – Gujarat
• Nageshwar – Gujarat
• Mallikarjuna – Andhra Pradesh
• Mahakaleshwar – Madhya Pradesh
• Omkareshwar – Madhya Pradesh
• Kedarnath – Uttarakhand
• Bhimashankar – Maharashtra
• Trimbakeshwar – Maharashtra
• Grishneshwar – Maharashtra
• Kashi Vishwanath – Uttar Pradesh
• Baidyanath – Jharkhand
• Ramanathaswamy – Tamil Nadu

About Kanwar Yatra

• Nature: An annual Hindu pilgrimage undertaken by Kanwariyas, devotees of Lord Shiva, during the Shravan period (July–August).
• Ritual: Pilgrims collect sacred Ganga water from major pilgrimage centres and carry it to Shiva temples for offering.
• Major Water-Collection Centres: Haridwar, Gangotri, Sultanganj, Prayagraj and Varanasi.
• Kanwar: The Ganga water is carried in pots suspended from a decorated bamboo pole, known as a Kanwar.
• Symbolism: The bamboo pole represents Lord Shiva, while the two water pots symbolise Brahma and Vishnu, together representing the Trimurti.
• A 7th–8th century sculpture at Kalinjar Fort in Uttar Pradesh depicts a figure carrying a Kanwar, providing historical evidence of the tradition.

Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Why in News?

The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026 seeks to extend statutory protection under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 to Vande Mataram, placing the National Song within the Act’s existing framework for protection of national symbols.

Existing Legal Framework

• The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 currently contains provisions concerning respect for National Flag, Constitution of India, National Anthem.
• However, according to the given context, the Act does not presently contain a specific legal provision addressing insult to the National Song, Vande Mataram.

Key Proposal of the Amendment Bill

• Amendment: The Bill proposes to amend Section 3 of the 1971 Act.
• National Song: It seeks to bring Vande Mataram within the statutory ambit of the Act.
• Objective: Provide the National Song with protection comparable to that accorded to the National Anthem under the legislation.
• Nature of Offence: Acts constituting an insult to the National Song would become punishable under the proposed framework.
• Violation would attract Imprisonment up to 3 years, or Fine, or Both imprisonment and fine.

Cauvery River

Why in News?

• The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) upheld the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s (CWRC) direction requiring Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu at 3,500 cusecs per day for 15 days.
• Karnataka cited acute hydrological distress, stating that cumulative inflows into the four Cauvery-basin reservoirs were 65.65% below the 30-year average, attributed to the super El Niño effect.

About Cauvery River

• Nickname: Known as ‘Dakshina Ganga’ or ‘Ganga of the South’.
• Origin: Rises at an elevation of approximately 1,341 metres at Talakaveri in the Brahmagiri Range, near Cherangala village in Kodagu (Coorg) district, Karnataka.
• Basin: Extends across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

Machilipatnam: Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft

Why in News?

Machilipatnam (BY 529), the seventh of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) being built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) for the Indian Navy, was launched.

Key Features

• Type: Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC).
• Builder: Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
• Role: Designed for underwater surveillance and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) operations.
• Machilipatnam (BY 529) derives its name from the historic port city of Machilipatnam in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh.
• The city is known for its rich maritime legacy and flourishing trade along India’s eastern seaboard.

One-Liners

• Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Telecom Excellence Awards 2025: Union Minister of Communications conferred the awards on Amantya Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Finaara for outstanding contributions to telecom technology.
• Instituted by DoT, the annual awards recognise excellence in telecom innovation, skilling, manufacturing and services.
• Awardees receive ₹2 lakh, citation, plaque, shawl and travel allowance.
• Commonwealth Games 2026: Dilip Mahadu Gavit won gold in the Men’s 100m T47 para-athletics event with a timing of 10.72 seconds, while Mohammed Basil Morssinganakath secured silver with 10.38 seconds.
• Seema Kaliramna won bronze in women’s discus throw with a best effort of 58.65 metres.

All Set with 1 August Current Affairs? Let’s Quiz!

• Essential for Exams: The Current Affairs of 1 August 2026 cover topics that are often asked in competitive exams.
• Boosts Your Knowledge: Helps you stay informed about the latest events and updates.
• Improves Accuracy: Daily practice with Current Affairs of 1 August 2026 improves your speed and accuracy in exams.
• Quick Revision: Acts as a daily revision tool for upcoming exams.
• Saves Time: You don’t need to search multiple sources; everything is here in one place!
• Helps in Interviews: Being updated with Current Affairs of 1 August 2026 gives you confidence for personal interviews and group discussions.

Why is 1 August 2026 Current Affairs Important for You?

• Read Properly: Go through the 1 August 2026 Current Affairs to stay updated.
• Make Notes: Summarize key points and important updates in your own words.
• Link with Syllabus: Identify topics relevant to your exam and connect them with your syllabus.
• Practice Daily Quizzes: Test your knowledge by taking daily quizzes based on 1 August 2026 Current Affairs.
• Revise Often: Review the updates multiple times to boost your recall and confidence.
• Discuss with Peers: Join discussions and share insights to deepen your understanding

Get Daily Updates and Stay Ahead!

Law Prep Tutorial is committed to giving you the best daily current affairs updates to help you excel in various exams. Our platform is trusted by thousands of toppers for timely, accurate, and concise updates that matter most for your exams. Explore our dedicated sections below: