CLAT 2027 Daily Current Affairs - September 19-20, 2026 | Telangana MLA Disqualification, SC on Prohibition

1. Telangana High Court disqualifies BRS MLA over defection

In the news: The Telangana High Court has disqualified Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi MLA Danam Nagender under the anti-defection law. Nagender had joined the ruling Congress in 2024.

The court said the disqualification would take effect from April 23, 2024. Nagender was elected from Khairatabad on a BRS ticket in the December 2023 Assembly election. He later contested the Secunderabad Lok Sabha election on a Congress ticket in April 2024.

The Telangana Assembly Speaker had rejected the disqualification petitions on March 11. The High Court's order has now left the Khairatabad Assembly seat vacant. Nine other BRS MLAs also joined the Congress between March and August 2024.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• Tenth Schedule: Also known as the Anti-Defection Law. It was added to the Constitution by the 52nd Amendment.

• Article 191(2): Deals with disqualification of members of a State Legislature under the Tenth Schedule.

• Paragraph 2(1)(a): A legislator can be disqualified for voluntarily giving up membership of the political party on whose ticket they were elected.

• Speaker's role: The Speaker decides questions of disqualification under the Tenth Schedule.

• Writ petition: A constitutional remedy used to challenge the Speaker's decision or inaction.

MCQs

Q1. The Anti-Defection Law is contained in which Schedule of the Constitution?

A) Ninth Schedule
B) Tenth Schedule
C) Eleventh Schedule
D) Twelfth Schedule

Answer: B

Q2. Danam Nagender was disqualified under which provision?

A) Article 189
B) Article 190
C) Article 191(2)
D) Article 192

Answer: C

Q3. Which High Court passed the disqualification order against Danam Nagender?

A) Andhra Pradesh High Court
B) Telangana High Court
C) Karnataka High Court
D) Bombay High Court

Answer: B

2. Supreme Court says prohibition is no solution to alcoholism

In the news: The Supreme Court has observed that prohibition alone cannot solve the problem of alcoholism. The court referred to repeated hooch tragedies in Gujarat despite its long-standing prohibition policy.

The judgment came while hearing a challenge to Rules 18A and 18B of the Maharashtra Poisons Rules. The rules placed restrictions on the purchase of methanol and required bitterant and colourant to be added before its sale to certain industries. The rules were introduced after a 1991 hooch tragedy in Mumbai, in which 93 of 250 people died after consuming spurious liquor containing methanol.

The Supreme Court struck down the rules as unconstitutional and arbitrary. It held that the rules placed a heavy financial burden on industries without addressing issues such as pilferage, diversion and institutional corruption.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• Article 47: A Directive Principle that asks the State to work towards prohibition of intoxicating drinks harmful to health.

• Judicial review: Courts can examine subordinate legislation and strike it down if it violates the Constitution.

• Doctrine of arbitrariness: A law or rule can be struck down if it is manifestly arbitrary.

• DPSP: Directive Principles of State Policy are contained in Part IV of the Constitution.

• Poisons Rules: Rules regulating the handling and sale of substances such as methanol.

MCQs

Q1. Which Article of the Constitution deals with prohibition of intoxicating drinks?

A) Article 44
B) Article 46
C) Article 47
D) Article 48

Answer: C

Q2. The Supreme Court case concerned Rules 18A and 18B of which rules?

A) Gujarat Prohibition Rules
B) Maharashtra Poisons Rules
C) Bihar Excise Rules
D) Indian Penal Code Rules

Answer: B

Q3. Which State has followed a prohibition policy since 1960, as discussed in the judgment?

A) Bihar
B) Gujarat
C) Maharashtra
D) Punjab

Answer: B

3. U.S. national gets default bail as NIA misses chargesheet deadline

In the news: A Delhi court has granted default bail to U.S. national Matthew Aaron Van Dyke in an NIA case. Van Dyke was arrested in March at Kolkata airport over an alleged cross-border conspiracy involving ethnic armed groups in Myanmar.

The NIA did not file a chargesheet covering the alleged terror offences within the required 180-day period. It filed a chargesheet on September 8 with charges under the Immigration and Foreigners Act instead of Section 18 of the UAPA, under which Van Dyke was originally booked.

The court held that an incomplete chargesheet cannot be used to avoid the right to default bail. The case was decided under Section 187(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The same reasoning was also extended to six Ukrainian co-accused in the case.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• Default bail: Bail available when the investigating agency fails to file a chargesheet within the prescribed period.

• Section 187(3), BNSS: Deals with the period for completing investigation and the right to default bail.

• UAPA: The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, under which Van Dyke was originally booked.

• BNSS: The new criminal procedure law that replaced the CrPC.

• Immigration and Foreigners Act: Covers the entry, stay and departure of foreign nationals in India.

MCQs

Q1. Which provision of the BNSS was relevant to the default bail granted in this case?

A) Section 167(2)
B) Section 187(3)
C) Section 41
D) Section 18

Answer: B

Q2. Under which law was Matthew Aaron Van Dyke originally booked?

A) Immigration and Foreigners Act
B) Passport Act
C) UAPA
D) Foreigners Registration Act

Answer: C

Q3. What was the chargesheet deadline referred to in the case?

A) 90 days
B) 120 days
C) 150 days
D) 180 days

Answer: D

4. RBI rejects Tata Sons' plea to surrender NBFC registration

In the news: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has rejected Tata Sons' request to surrender its Certificate of Registration and operate as an unregistered Core Investment Company (CIC).

Tata Sons had made the request in March 2024. The RBI rejected it on September 11, 2026 and directed the company to follow rules applicable to upper-layer NBFCs. These rules include mandatory stock exchange listing under the RBI's scale-based regulatory framework.

The Tata Sons board has approved a resolution to comply with the RBI's direction. Tata Trusts, the company's majority shareholder, has opposed the listing. The Shapoorji Pallonji Group, a minority shareholder, has supported the RBI's decision.

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• NBFC: A company that provides financial services but does not have a full banking licence.

• Core Investment Company: An NBFC that mainly holds investments in group companies.

• Scale-based regulatory framework: RBI's system of classifying NBFCs into different regulatory layers.

• Certificate of Registration: RBI registration required for a company to operate as an NBFC.

• Upper-layer NBFC: NBFCs in this category face stricter regulatory requirements, including listing requirements.

MCQs

Q1. Which regulator rejected Tata Sons' request to surrender its NBFC registration?

A) SEBI
B) RBI
C) Ministry of Corporate Affairs
D) NCLT

Answer: B

Q2. Tata Sons wanted to be classified as which type of company?

A) Non-Operating Financial Holding Company
B) Core Investment Company
C) Housing Finance Company
D) Asset Reconstruction Company

Answer: B

Q3. Which requirement applies to upper-layer NBFCs under the RBI framework?

A) Reduced capital requirements
B) Mandatory stock exchange listing
C) Exemption from RBI oversight
D) Automatic merger with banks

Answer: B

5. Trump signs Russia sanctions Bill, paving way for 100% tariffs

In the news: U.S. President Donald Trump has signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, 2026 into law. The law provides for sanctions targeting Russia's energy and defence sectors, senior Russian officials and its "shadow fleet" of tankers used to evade sanctions.

It also gives the U.S. President the power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas. This could affect countries such as India and China. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the legislation. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia's response should involve "military deterrence."

What CLAT 2027 aspirants should know

• Secondary sanctions: Sanctions that can target third countries or entities doing business with a sanctioned country.

• Shadow fleet: Tankers used to move sanctioned oil while attempting to avoid restrictions.

• Tariff: A tax imposed on imports. It can also be used as an economic tool in foreign policy.

• Bilateral relations: Relations between two countries, such as India-U.S. relations.

• Executive authority: The law gives the U.S. President authority to impose or waive tariffs under specified conditions.

MCQs

Q1. What is the name of the Act signed by U.S. President Donald Trump?

A) Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, 2026
B) Countering Russian Aggression Act
C) Russia Trade Restriction Act
D) Global Energy Security Act

Answer: A

Q2. What is the maximum tariff authorised under the Act on major buyers of Russian oil and gas?

A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 100%

Answer: D

Q3. Who called for "military deterrence" in response to the sanctions?

A) Vladimir Putin
B) Volodymyr Zelenskyy
C) Dmitry Medvedev
D) Sergei Lavrov

Answer: C

September 19-20, 2026 Current Affairs: Quick Revision

• Tenth Schedule: Anti-Defection Law used in the Telangana MLA case.

• Article 191(2): Deals with disqualification of State Legislature members under the Tenth Schedule.

• Article 47: DPSP related to prohibition of intoxicating drinks.

• Section 187(3), BNSS: Relevant to default bail when the chargesheet is not filed within the prescribed period.

• Tata Sons: RBI rejected its request to surrender its NBFC registration.

• Russia sanctions: U.S. law allows tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas.

CLAT 2027 Daily Current Affairs: September 18-24, 2026