Kerala PSC Current Affairs Brief — 15 September 2026

The day brings a mix of judicial, environmental and political developments across Kerala and the nation. Aspirants should note key legal orders, infrastructure upgrades and policy changes that shape governance.

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Kerala News

1. Kerala HC notices on MLA disqualification

• Kerala High Court issued a notice to Mani C. Kappan regarding his petition seeking disqualification as the MLA of Pala constituency.
• The matter will be reconsidered by the court on 22 September 2026.

PSC relevance: Indian Polity – Disqualification of Legislators, Judicial Review

2. Underwater survey of MSC Elsa 3 sinking

• The Centre informed Kerala High Court that an underwater survey will be conducted to assess the long‑term impact of the MSC Elsa 3 sinking.
• The Liberian‑flagged vessel owned by Mediterranean Shipping Company sank off the coast of Alappuzha in May 2025, causing substantial coastal and marine damage to Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

PSC relevance: Environment – Marine Pollution, Disaster Management

3. Police protection for journalist Aparna Kurup

• Kerala High Court granted police protection to journalist Aparna Kurup following cyber‑attacks and death threats linked to a TV debate on remarks by Sunni scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musaliyar.
• Ms Kurup approached the court after the alleged cyber attacks and threats.

PSC relevance: Law – Freedom of Press, Cyber Law

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National News

4. TMC announces Bengal by‑poll candidates

• The Trinamool Congress (TMC) camp, led by Ritabrata, announced Mohammad Eteshamul Haque as its candidate for the Nandigram constituency in the Purba Medinipur district for the Bengal by‑polls.
• Safiuzzaman Sheikh was nominated as the TMC candidate for the Rejinagar constituency in Murshidabad.

PSC relevance: Indian Polity – Elections and Political Parties

5. U.P. Congress seeks relief for teacher recruitment candidates

• The Uttar Pradesh Congress wrote to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking one‑time relief for candidates of the 2026 Trained Graduate Teachers (TGT) and Post Graduate Teachers (PGT) recruitment examinations.
• The request was based on a representation of demands received from the exam candidates.

PSC relevance: Public Administration – State Recruitment, Education

6. Government bars bank charges on small digital payments

• The Government of India notified a change in the Payment and Settlement Act, 2007 that bars banks from charging fees on transactions up to ₹2,000 made through UPI and RuPay‑powered debit cards.
• The amendment aims to promote digital payments and financial inclusion.

PSC relevance: Indian Economy – Digital Payments, Financial Inclusion

7. Kota municipal elections and EVM glitches

• The Bharatiya Janata Party won the municipal elections in Kota, but the poll for the chairperson was postponed due to electronic voting machine glitches in some wards.
• A re‑poll has been scheduled for 16 September 2026 in the affected booths, with counting set for 17 September 2026.

PSC relevance: Local Governance – Municipal Elections, EVM

8. Upgrade of Karimnagar‑Warangal section of NH 563

• The upgraded Karimnagar‑Warangal section of National Highway 563 is expected to reduce travel distance by approximately 11 km.
• The improvement will cut journey time from about 90 minutes to nearly 50 minutes, boosting tourism and trade in the region.

PSC relevance: Infrastructure – Roads and Highways, Transport

9. CJI stresses need for judicial transparency

• The Chief Justice of India stated that the judiciary cannot earn public trust by shielding itself from scrutiny and must remain open to examination and criticism.
• The comment emphasized the importance of judicial transparency and accountability.

PSC relevance: Judiciary – Judicial Accountability, Transparency

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10 MCQs

Q1. On what date will the Kerala High Court reconsider the petition seeking disqualification of Mani C. Kappan?

Options: A. 20 September 2026 B. 22 September 2026 C. 24 September 2026 D. 26 September 2026

Answer: B

Explanation: Based on the bullet stating the matter will be reconsidered on 22 September 2026.

Q2. Which vessel’s sinking prompted the Centre to order an underwater survey for long‑term impact?

Options: A. MSC Elsa 3 B. MSC Evergreen C. MSC Olympic D. MSC Titanic

Answer: A

Explanation: The bullet mentions the MSC Elsa 3 sinking as the subject of the underwater survey.

Q3. In which month and year did the MSC Elsa 3 sink off Alappuzha?

Options: A. May 2025 B. June 2025 C. May 2024 D. July 2025

Answer: A

Explanation: The bullet specifies the vessel sank in May 2025.

Q4. Which journalist received police protection from the Kerala High Court after cyber‑attacks?

Options: A. Aparna Kurup B. Anjali Menon C. Priya Nair D. Latha Raman

Answer: A

Explanation: The bullet states that journalist Aparna Kurup was granted police protection.

Q5. Who was announced as the TMC candidate for the Nandigram constituency in the Bengal by‑polls?

Options: A. Mohammad Eteshamul Haque B. Safiuzzaman Sheikh C. Ritabrata Banerjee D. Mamata Banerjee

Answer: A

Explanation: The bullet lists Mohammad Eteshamul Haque as the Nandigram candidate.

Q6. Which state’s Congress party wrote to its chief minister seeking relief for TGT and PGT exam candidates?

Options: A. Uttar Pradesh B. Bihar C. Madhya Pradesh D. Rajasthan

Answer: A

Explanation: The bullet indicates the Uttar Pradesh Congress made the request.

Q7. Under the new amendment, up to what amount are banks prohibited from charging fees on UPI transactions?

Options: A. ₹1,000 B. ₹2,000 C. ₹5,000 D. ₹10,000

Answer: B

Explanation: The bullet states banks cannot charge fees on transactions up to ₹2,000.

Q8. Why was the chairperson poll postponed in the Kota municipal elections?

Options: A. Low voter turnout B. EVM glitches C. Weather issues D. Legal challenge

Answer: B

Explanation: The bullet mentions postponement due to electronic voting machine glitches.

Q9. By approximately how many kilometres will the upgraded Karimnagar‑Warangal section of NH 563 reduce travel distance?

Options: A. 5 km B. 11 km C. 20 km D. 30 km

Answer: B

Explanation: The bullet notes a reduction of about 11 km.

Q10. According to the Chief Justice of India, what must the judiciary remain open to?

Options: A. Financial audits B. Examination and criticism C. International treaties D. Military oversight

Answer: B

Explanation: The bullet quotes the CJI saying the judiciary must remain open to examination and criticism.

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Quick Recap

#	Topic	One-line
1	Kerala HC MLA disqualification	Court set to revisit Mani C. Kappan’s disqualification petition on 22 Sept 2026.
2	MSC Elsa 3 impact survey	Underwater survey ordered to assess long‑term effects of the May 2025 sinking off Alappuzha.
3	Journalist protection	Aparna Kurup granted police protection after cyber‑threats linked to a TV debate.
4	TMC Bengal candidates	Mohammad Eteshamul Haque (Nandigram) and Safiuzzaman Sheikh (Rejinagar) named for by‑polls.
5	U.P. teacher exam relief	State Congress seeks one‑time relief for 2026 TGT and PGT recruitment candidates.
6	Digital payment fee ban	Banks barred from charging fees on UPI/RuPay transactions up to ₹2,000.
7	Kota municipal poll glitch	EVM glitches delay chairperson poll; re‑poll set for 16 Sept 2026.
8	NH 563 upgrade	Karimnagar‑Warangal stretch cuts distance by ~11 km and travel time to ~50 min.
9	CJI on judicial transparency	Chief Justice stresses judiciary must welcome scrutiny and criticism.
10	Overall focus	Key legal, environmental, electoral and infrastructure updates relevant for PSC exams.

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Sources: The Hindu, Indian Express, PIB. Compiled via RSS feeds and verified at time of publication.