CLAT 2027 Current Affairs October 29, 2026 | SIR, Cyclone Arnab, Press Freedom, Kartarpur, Israel Election

1. Supreme Court Questions ECI on Voter Deletions During SIR

In the news: The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned whether the Election Commission of India (ECI) could permanently take away a person's voting right for not returning an enumeration form during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Justice Joymalya Bagchi, on a Bench headed by CJI Surya Kant, asked whether being “lax” or not responding was enough to forfeit the right to vote. 

The Court said the ECI was wrong to ask deleted voters to apply as new voters through Form 6. The ECI cited the May 27 Bihar SIR judgment and its “residuary powers”, but Justice Bagchi said the judgment was not a binding precedent. He added that “logical discrepancy” was not used in Bihar and was allowed in West Bengal only as an interim measure; its legality is yet to be decided.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• Form 6, Form 7 and Form 8: Justice Bagchi said these forms are "cast in stone", and the ECI cannot change them.

• The Court said Form 6 and Form 7 are needed only after the final roll is published, not at the draft stage.

• Precedent: A judgment binds as a precedent only on the legal principle it decides. The Court said the Bihar ruling does not bind it here.

• In Delhi, 47,56,722 of 1,45,10,299 electors were marked absent, shifted, dead or duplicate. The last date for claims and objections is October 30.

• The ECI said deleted voters can return to the roll before nominations are filed.

MCQs

Q1. Which Justice asked whether a "lax" voter can lose the right to vote forever?
 A. Justice Surya Kant
 B. Justice Joymalya Bagchi
 C. Justice Vikram Nath
 D. Justice Dipankar Datta

Answer: B

Q2. How did the Court describe the Bihar SIR judgment of May 27?
 A. A binding precedent
 B. A constitutional bench ruling
 C. Not a binding precedent
 D. An overruled judgment

Answer: C

Q3. What is the last date for filing claims and objections in the Delhi roll?
 A. October 28
 B. October 30
 C. November 1
 D. November 30

Answer: B

2. Cyclone Arnab Makes Landfall in Andhra Pradesh; Five Dead

In the news: On Wednesday, Cyclone Arnab touched the Andhra Pradesh coastline as a very severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 150 kmph. The death toll was 5; more than 1,000 trees were uprooted, and crops in an area of 80,500 hectares were affected. Garividi (in Vizianagaram district) received 260 mm of rain in 24 hours.

By evening, the IMD said the storm had weakened. 17 districts of Odisha were affected, with heavy rainfall expected till Thursday morning. AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu called for further support from NDRF and an immediate Central team to take the damage assessment. Approximately 28,000 people were evacuated to shelters for relief.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• IMD: The India Meteorological Department names and tracks cyclones in the North Indian Ocean.

• NDRF: The National Disaster Response Force, set up under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

• Disaster Management Act, 2005: Sets up the NDMA at the Centre and SDMAs in the States.

• Cyclone Arnab is the first named storm of this year's North Indian Ocean season.

MCQs

Q1. As what category did Cyclone Arnab make landfall?
 A. Depression
 B. Severe cyclonic storm
 C. Very severe cyclonic storm
 D. Super cyclonic storm

Answer: C

Q2. Which agency issues cyclone bulletins in India?
 A. NDMA
 B. IMD
 C. ISRO
 D. CWC

Answer: B

Q3. Which law set up the NDMA?
 A. Environment Protection Act, 1986
 B. Disaster Management Act, 2005
 C. Water Act, 1974
 D. Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897

Answer: B

3. Government Says DPDP Act Protects Press Freedom, Open to Changes

In the news: Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act was not limiting press freedom, which the Constitution guarantees. He extended invitations to editors for discussions and indicated that the government would be willing to discuss their concerns.

News publishers state that failure to have a specific 'journalism exemption' may complicate investigative reporting. A government source says Parliament can change the law to safeguard journalists' work. The Digital News Publishers Association has filed a challenge to the Act in the Supreme Court before a Bench headed by CJI Surya Kant, which was set to hear the petitions on Tuesday.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• The Act and its 2025 Rules have no separate exemption for journalism, according to the DNPA petition.

• Section 36 of the Act, read with Rule 23 and the Seventh Schedule, lets the Centre call for information from any data fiduciary. The DNPA says this has no judicial oversight.

• Article 19(1)(a): Freedom of speech and expression. In India, press freedom comes from this Article.

• The government says the Act follows the Supreme Court's right to privacy judgment.

MCQs

Q1. Under which Article is press freedom protected in India?
 A. Article 14
 B. Article 19(1)(a)
 C. Article 21
 D. Article 32

Answer: B

Q2. Which body has challenged the DPDP Act in the Supreme Court?
 A. Press Council of India
 B. Editors Guild of India
 C. Digital News Publishers Association
 D. Bar Council of India

Answer: C

Q3. Which section lets the Centre call for information from data fiduciaries?
 A. Section 6
 B. Section 17
 C. Section 36
 D. Section 44

Answer: C

4. Pakistan Invites Punjab Leaders; Kartarpur Corridor Remains Closed

In the news: Pakistani Punjab Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora invited Bhagwant Mann, the Chief Minister of Punjab and the state MLAs to visit Pakistan. He volunteered to organise pilgrimages to Kartarpur Sahib and other important places. The invitation came in response to Mann's desire to attend the Lahore International Punjabi Conference, which is scheduled for Nov. 27-29.

Since May 7, 2025, the Kartarpur Corridor has been closed following the tension in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam. Rajya Sabha MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney has appealed to the Centre to bring it back to life before the Guru Nanak Jayanti next month.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• Kartarpur Corridor: Links Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur, Punjab, with Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan. It was inaugurated in 2019.

• Guru Nanak Dev, the founder of Sikhism, spent his last 18 years at Kartarpur.

• Foreign affairs is a Union subject. A State cannot decide on foreign visits or corridors by itself.

MCQs

Q1. Since when has the Kartarpur Corridor been closed?
 A. August 5, 2019
 B. March 24, 2020
 C. May 7, 2025
 D. January 1, 2026

Answer: C

Q2. Which Indian town is the Indian end of the corridor?
 A. Amritsar
 B. Dera Baba Nanak
 C. Anandpur Sahib
 D. Fatehgarh Sahib

Answer: B

Q3. In which city will the international Punjabi conference be held?
 A. Islamabad
 B. Karachi
 C. Lahore
 D. Peshawar

Answer: C

5. Israel Election: Netanyahu's Bloc Leads but Falls Short; Arab Turnout Highest in Years

In the news: Israel voted on October 27, the first election since the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023. With 85% of ballots counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc had 53 of the 120 Knesset seats. Gadi Eisenkot's opposition bloc had 48. Both sides are far short of the 61 seats to win a majority.

Voter turnout was 77.7%, the highest since 1999. Exit polling has suggested that the Arab population has nearly 80% turnout and that there are 19 seats allocated to Arab lists. Now it is up to the Arab parties to make a decision.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• The Knesset has 120 seats. A government needs 61.

• Arab citizens are about 21% of Israel's population.

• Mr Netanyahu is wanted by the International Criminal Court.

• Iran said the result "makes no difference". Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of a "devastating" market impact from any new Israeli-led attack.

MCQs

Q1. How many seats does a bloc need for a majority in the Knesset?
 A. 51
 B. 61
 C. 71
 D. 81

Answer: B

Q2. What was the reported voter turnout in Israel's election?
 A. 57.7%
 B. 67.7%
 C. 77.7%
 D. 87.7%

Answer: C

Q3. Who leads the main opposition bloc against Netanyahu?
 A. Yair Golan
 B. Naftali Bennett
 C. Gadi Eisenkot
 D. Yair Lapid

Answer: C

October 29, 2026 Current Affairs: Quick Revision

Candidates can revise these key facts for quick CLAT 2027 current affairs revision:

• Supreme Court on SIR: Bihar judgment is not a binding precedent; Forms 6, 7 and 8 cannot be changed by the ECI

• Cyclone Arnab: Very severe cyclonic storm; landfall in Andhra Pradesh; five dead

• DPDP Act: Government says press freedom is safe; open to an amendment

• Section 36, DPDP Act: Centre can call for information from data fiduciaries

• Kartarpur Corridor: Shut since May 7, 2025

• Israel election: Turnout 77.7%; Netanyahu bloc 53, opposition 48; Arab parties key