Daily Current Affairs · Last published 23 September 2026
UPSC Prelims Current Affairs: 23 September 2026
A Bay of Bengal depression nears the Odisha-Andhra coast, the Supreme Court orders a fresh Dharmasthala probe, and Jaishankar opens India's UNSC campaign at UNGA.
IMD says Bay of Bengal deep depression to cross Odisha-Andhra coast on the night of 23 to 24 September
The India Meteorological Department said on 22 September 2026 that the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to cross the north Andhra Pradesh, south Odisha coast between Visakhapatnam and Gopalpur during the night of 23 September and the early hours of 24 September, with winds gusting up to 75 kmph between the morning of 23 September and the evening of 24 September. A red alert covers Koraput, Gajapati and Ganjam districts of Odisha for heavy to very heavy rain with isolated extremely heavy falls on 23 and 24 September, while Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri remain on red alert for 24 and 25 September, and several districts have shut schools and anganwadi centres as a precaution. Odisha's Chief Secretary said the IMD has confirmed the system is expected to intensify only into a deep depression rather than a cyclone, so it is not expected to be named Arnab despite the name being reserved for the next storm on the roster.
RBI issues Amendment Directions standardising how financial institutions value InvIT and REIT units
The Reserve Bank of India on 22 September 2026 issued the Reserve Bank of India (All India Financial Institutions, Classification, Valuation, and Operation of Investment Portfolio) Amendment Directions, 2026, alongside parallel amendment directions covering commercial banks, small finance banks, local area banks and payments banks. The amendment inserts two new provisions, Paragraph 58A for Infrastructure Investment Trusts and Paragraph 58B for Real Estate Investment Trusts, into the existing investment portfolio directions. Quoted units issued by InvITs and REITs must now be valued under the rules already applicable to quoted securities, while unquoted units are to be valued at net asset value, with stricter treatment prescribed where disclosure requirements are not met.
Finance Ministry appeals to bank unions to call off the 28 to 30 September strike over a five day work week
The Ministry of Finance on 21 September 2026 appealed to employees of public sector banks and regional rural banks to refrain from a proposed three day strike from 28 to 30 September, called by the United Forum of Bank Unions over implementation of a five day banking week. The ministry said it had already met the unions' other main demand by keeping the Performance Linked Incentive scheme in abeyance, and pointed to measures including revised pay scales, an enhanced Staff Welfare Fund and improved transfer and promotion policies as evidence of continued engagement. The proposed strike dates coincide with the half yearly closing of banks on 30 September, a date significant for reconciliation, provisioning and treasury operations, meaning the disruption combined with the preceding weekend could effectively shut banking services for five days. Despite the appeal, union representatives said they could not call off the strike without a firm commitment on the five day week.
Supreme Court orders fresh SIT probe into 2012 Dharmasthala rape and murder case
The Supreme Court on 21 September 2026 ordered a fresh investigation by a Special Investigation Team into the 2012 rape and murder of a 17 year old near Dharmasthala in Karnataka, saying the manner in which the earlier investigation was conducted shocks the conscience of the court. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and Sanjeev Sachdeva set aside a Karnataka High Court judgment that had dismissed the victim's family's plea for reinvestigation, and directed that no officer who was part of the earlier Belthangady Police, state CID or CBI investigating teams be included in the new SIT. The lone accused in the case had been acquitted by a trial court in June 2023, which held the original investigation had not been properly conducted in the golden hour after the crime. The fresh investigation must be completed within three months, after which a police report is to be filed before the trial court.
Jaishankar opens UNGA push for India's 2028-29 UN Security Council bid as Tajikistan mounts a rival Asia-Pacific candidature
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar began a packed schedule of engagements in New York within hours of arriving for the 81st UN General Assembly's high level week, meeting Foreign Ministers of France, Ecuador, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, Moldova and Switzerland on 21 September 2026, besides joining the newly launched Partnership for Multilateralism grouping as an additional co-sponsor alongside Australia and Barbados. His central task this year is building support for India's election to a non-permanent UN Security Council seat for the 2028-2029 term. India has been elected to the Security Council eight times, on most occasions as the sole nominee put forward by the Asia-Pacific group, but Tajikistan has now also launched a candidature for the same seat, turning the election into a contest unless the two countries can reach a compromise. Jaishankar is expected to remain in New York through the week, addressing the General Assembly on 26 September.
Election Commission announces bye-elections to four Karnataka Legislative Council seats
The Election Commission announced on 22 September 2026 that bye-elections to four Karnataka Legislative Council seats falling vacant in November will be held on 23 October, with results declared on 27 October. The seats going to the polls are the Karnataka South East Graduates', Karnataka West Graduates', Karnataka North East Teachers' and Bangalore Teachers' constituencies, three of which are currently held by the BJP and one by the Congress. The Model Code of Conduct has come into effect immediately in the four concerned constituencies.
India observes 11th Ayurveda Day on 23 September under the theme 'Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow'
India observes the 11th Ayurveda Day on 23 September 2026, with the main celebrations held in Nagpur, Maharashtra, under the theme Ayurveda for a Healthier Tomorrow. Ayurveda Day was earlier marked on Dhanteras each year, a date that varied with the lunar calendar, until a March 2025 gazette notification fixed it permanently on 23 September from 2025 onward. This year's campaign is built around three themes, integrative healthcare, evidence and research driven innovation, and community wellbeing and sustainable living, alongside the National Dhanwantari Ayurveda Awards 2026 for practitioners who have significantly contributed to the field.