Current affairs · Journals and bills · August 2026

Journals and bills — August 2026

Bills (PRS Legislative Research)

Bills whose latest stage, as PRS lists it, fell in August 2026. Summaries in Shishya's own words.

The Tribunals Reforms Bill, 2026

Ministry: Law and Justice · Introduced in Lok Sabha 10 Aug 2026 · Passed by Lok Sabha 10 Aug 2026 · Passed by Rajya Sabha 11 Aug 2026

  • Repeals the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 and sets up a National Tribunals Commission to run selections, performance review, complaints against tribunal members and a national data grid for tribunals.
  • The Commission is headed by a former Supreme Court judge or High Court Chief Justice, with two judicial and two technical members (technical members need at least 25 years' experience).
  • Tribunal chairpersons serve up to age 70 and members up to 67, for five-year terms; the selection committee names one candidate and one on a waiting list, and the Centre must appoint within three months.
  • Exam angle: tribunal independence (who selects, how long they serve) has been the subject of repeated Supreme Court cases; read this Bill against that history.

Syllabus line (General Studies-II): “Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.”

Source: PRS Legislative Research — Bill Track · Bill text (PDF) (read 27 Oct 2026). Made by Shishya (AI-assisted), checked against the PRS page.

The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026

Ministry: Home Affairs · Introduced in Lok Sabha 10 Aug 2026 · Passed by Lok Sabha 11 Aug 2026 · Passed by Rajya Sabha 12 Aug 2026

  • Changes the State's name from Kerala to 'Keralam' in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
  • PRS notes the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution for the change in June 2024.
  • Exam angle: renaming a State is done by a law of Parliament under Article 3, not by a constitutional amendment under Article 368 — a common Prelims trap.

Syllabus line (General Studies-II): “Indian Constitution--historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.”

Source: PRS Legislative Research — Bill Track · Bill text (PDF) (read 27 Oct 2026). Made by Shishya (AI-assisted), checked against the PRS page.

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026

Ministry: Home Affairs · Introduced in Lok Sabha 29 Jul 2026 · Passed by Lok Sabha 31 Jul 2026 · Passed by Rajya Sabha 4 Aug 2026

  • Amends the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
  • Today, a birth or death reported more than a year late is registered on an order from a district, sub-divisional or authorised executive magistrate.
  • The Bill says that where the delay is more than two years, only a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class may issue that order.

Syllabus line (General Studies-II): “Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.”

Source: PRS Legislative Research — Bill Track · Bill text (PDF) (read 27 Oct 2026). Made by Shishya (AI-assisted), checked against the PRS page.