
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari declared an emergency and imposed governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 11 October 2026. The provincial government led by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was suspended after a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The federal government cited worsening law and order, terrorist attacks and a breakdown of constitutional machinery as grounds for the action.
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) convened the Second Regional Review Conference on implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, in Kolkata, West Bengal, on 9 and 10 October 2026. Officials from eight states attended to review claims, pending cases and implementation measures.
On 8 October 2026, the Supreme Court of India directed states to upload road-accident data promptly on the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (eDAR) portal. It ordered the integration of eDAR with VAHAN, SARATHI and the Insurance Information Bureau (IIB) databases to create a digital record for each road crash and enable cross-verification of accident and insurance details.
The Central Armed Police Forces (General Administration) Act, 2026, came into force on 8 October 2026 after a notification by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The Act establishes a common framework for recruitment and service conditions of Group A general duty officers and other officers in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). Serving CAPF officers have challenged its constitutional validity in the Supreme Court.
On 5 October 2026, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya announced that the state government intended to introduce a Bill in the upcoming Assembly session to rename West Bengal as Paschim Banga. Bhattacharya said on 7 October that the proposed name connects with the state’s formation after Independence. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has supported the proposal, subject to the prescribed legal process.
Uttar Pradesh renamed Bhadohi district as Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi on 4 October 2026. The district was carved out of Varanasi district and became the 65th district of Uttar Pradesh on 30 June 1994.
Gujarat’s Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill, 2026, received Presidential assent on 2 October 2026 and was notified as Gujarat Act No. 15 of 2026 in the Gujarat Government Gazette Extraordinary on 1 October 2026. The Bill was passed by the Gujarat Legislative Assembly in March 2026 after a debate lasting seven to eight hours.
India is considering amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules to stop persons below 18 years from opening social media accounts. The proposal was placed before the Supreme Court of India on 29 September 2026 in a matter linked to a plea by the NGO Just Rights for Children Alliance.
The Centre extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, in specified areas of Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months from 1 October 2026. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued Gazette notifications on 25 September 2026 after a review of the law and order situation in the three northeastern states.
The Supreme Court on 23 September 2026 referred petitions challenging the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023, to a five-judge Constitution Bench. The petitions question the law governing the appointment process of the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners in India.
The Supreme Court Collegium approved the appointment of 12 additional judges as permanent judges in four High Courts on 23 September 2026. The recommendation covered the High Courts of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Uttarakhand, and Gauhati.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) issued an advisory on 21 September 2026 on fraudulent SIM card issuance, misuse of telecom identifiers, and tampering with International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers. The advisory refers to penalties under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, which provides for imprisonment of up to three years and fines of up to ₹50 lakh for specified violations.