This is the current affairs 17 & 18 April 2026. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
1. What type of majority was required to pass the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill—the absence of which led to its rejection in the Lok Sabha?
a. Absolute majority
b. Special majority
c. Simple majority
d. None of these
Answer: b. Special majority (50% of total + 2/3 of those present and voting)
(Note – Since this bill affected the representation of states, in the second stage, approval from at least more than half of the state legislatures was also required.)
– The 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill related to delimitation and women’s reservation was defeated in the Lok Sabha.
– 298 votes were cast in favor of the bill and 230 against it.
– A total of 489 MPs voted in the Lok Sabha.
– Since it was a Constitutional Amendment Bill, it required a two-thirds majority to pass. Two-thirds of 489 is 326.
– Thus, due to lack of the required majority, the bill was defeated by 28 votes.
– In nearly 12 years of governance, this was the first time the Modi government failed to pass a bill in the House.
– Earlier, Amit Shah had delivered a one-hour speech, stating that if the bill failed, the opposition would be responsible. If the opposition did not vote, the bill would fall. He said the women of the country were watching who was obstructing their path.
– These amended bills were debated in the Lok Sabha for 21 hours.
– After the failure of the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill, the government refused to table the other two bills.
– These bills were the “Delimitation (Amendment) Bill, 2026” and the “Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.”
What was the 131st Constitutional Amendment Bill?
– This bill was primarily introduced to implement delimitation and women’s reservation. Its two main objectives were:
– Significant increase in Lok Sabha seats: The bill proposed increasing Lok Sabha seats from the existing 543 to 850 (815 from states and 35 from Union Territories).
– Timing of women’s reservation: The government wanted to implement the ‘Nari Shakti Vandan Act’ (33% reservation), passed in 2023, from the 2029 elections itself. For this, delimitation based on the 2011 Census was proposed.
Why was the bill introduced?
– Removal of seat freeze: According to the 84th Amendment (2001), the number of Lok Sabha seats was frozen until 2026. The government wanted to remove this freeze and increase representation based on population. In fact, this amendment was introduced during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2001. Its main rationale was that states which performed well in population control (family planning) should not suffer a reduction in seats. Therefore, the 1971 Census continued to be the basis for seat determination. It was first frozen during the Indira Gandhi government through the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.
– Acceleration of women’s reservation: The earlier law stated that reservation would be implemented only after a new Census. Through this new bill (131st Amendment), the government wanted to change that condition and implement it sooner.
Why was there opposition?
– The opposition (INDIA alliance), especially parties from southern states, strongly opposed it. Their main arguments were:
– Loss to South India: If seats were increased to 850 based on population, northern states (with higher population growth) would gain more seats, while southern states (which controlled population growth) would lose political influence.
– Attack on federalism: The opposition termed it “anti-federal.”
– Political advantage: Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders alleged that it was an attempt to redraw the electoral map of the country in the name of women’s reservation.
Article 368
– Under Article 368 of the Constitution, a ‘special majority’ is required to pass any Constitutional Amendment Bill. It has two conditions that must be fulfilled simultaneously:
Majority of total membership (Absolute Majority)
More than half of the total strength of the House must vote in favor.
– Example: If the Lok Sabha has 543 seats, at least 272 votes (half + 1) must be in favor, regardless of how many members are present.
– Two-thirds of members present and voting
This is the condition on which the bill (131st Amendment) failed. It means that 66.6% of those present during voting must support the bill.
Why is this majority so difficult?
– The framers of the Constitution made it stringent to ensure that no government could change the basic structure of the Constitution based on mere whim or a narrow majority. It requires either opposition support or a strong mandate.
Types of majority (at a glance)
Type of majority : Where used : Rule
– Simple majority : Formation of new states, ordinary laws : 50% + 1 of those present
– Special majority : Constitutional amendments (Art. 368), removal of judges : 50% of total + 2/3 of present and voting
(Note – Since this bill affected state representation, approval from more than half of the state legislatures was also required in the second stage.)
Failure to achieve two-thirds majority
– The 131st Bill failed because the government could not reach the ‘two-thirds of those present and voting’ mark.
– Although it had 298 votes (more than the simple majority figure of 272), it needed 326 votes based on the presence of 489 members.
– This was the “parliamentary arithmetic” that Amit Shah had anticipated, which is why he placed responsibility on the opposition. Would you like to know which states’ opposition influenced this arithmetic the most?
Difference between Nari Shakti Vandan Act (2023) and the Constitutional Amendment Bill
– It only established the rule that 33% of seats in Parliament would be reserved for women. However, it did not specify the total number of Lok Sabha seats. It included a condition that reservation would be implemented only after a new Census and delimitation. There was no fixed timeline; it depended on a future Census.
– The 131st Amendment Bill (2026): This bill was introduced to carry out that delimitation. It proposed increasing Lok Sabha seats from 543 to 850. The government argued that increasing seats would make it easier to provide 33% reservation to women without reducing men’s seats. The government wanted to implement women’s reservation from the 2029 general elections. For this, it attempted to use the 2011 Census as the basis for delimitation, which the opposition termed “unconstitutional.”
– “North vs South” debate: The 2023 bill saw broad agreement because it was only a “principle.” However, when the 2026 bill proposed 850 seats, southern states opposed it strongly. They argued that population-based increase would significantly boost seats of states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, reducing the political voice of southern states that had controlled population growth.
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2. According to a report by which United Nations agency, military conflict in West Asia poses a risk of pushing 2.5 million people in India into poverty?
a. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
b. International Labour Organization (ILO)
c. International Monetary Fund (IMF)
d. World Bank (WB)
Answer: a. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Name of the UNDP report
– Military Escalation in the Middle East: Human Development Impacts Across Asia and the Pacific
– The report was released on April 14, 2026.
Key findings of the UNDP report
– Military conflict in West Asia is placing severe pressure on human development and livelihoods across the Asia-Pacific region.
– Globally, 8.8 million people are at risk of falling into poverty.
– The Asia-Pacific region could face losses of up to $299 billion.
– India’s poverty rate may rise from 23.9% to 24.2%.
Poverty in India may increase from about 400,000 to 2.5 million people.
– India could also face a setback of 0.03 to 0.12 years in its Human Development Index (HDI) progress.
India’s dependence on energy imports
– India depends heavily on imports for its energy needs.
The country imports more than 90% of its total oil requirements.
– About 40% of crude oil and 90% of LPG come from West Asia.
– According to the report, freight costs and insurance premiums have increased sharply due to the military crisis.
– This is directly affecting India’s $48 billion non-oil exports, including basmati rice, tea, gems and jewelry, and garments.
Risk of business disruption due to costly imports
– Around 90% of employment in India is in the informal sector.
– Rising import costs and supply shortages are increasing costs in small industries related to food processing, construction materials, and gem manufacturing.
– This may lead to reduced working hours, layoffs, and business closures.
– Disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz may increase raw material costs for medical equipment by up to 50%.
Wholesale prices of medicines have already risen by 10–15%.
– India imports over 45% of its fertilizers from West Asia.
– The report warns that if disruptions continue into the kharif season (starting in June), agriculture will be affected.
– However, a buffer stock of 6.114 million tonnes of urea may provide some relief.
– About 9.37 million Indians working in Gulf countries send 38–40% of India’s total remittances.
– Economic slowdown there may affect their income, directly impacting household incomes in India.
IMF also expressed concern
– IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stated that due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the institution would cut its global growth forecast for the year.
– This geopolitical shock has led to a sharp rise in prices of oil, gas, and fertilizers worldwide.
– It has disproportionately affected energy-importing and low-income countries.
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3. Who became the first Indian woman to win the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 title?
a. Bibisara Assaubayeva
b. Kateryna Lagno
c. Vaishali Rameshbabu
d. Koneru Humpy
Answer: c. Vaishali Rameshbabu
– She won the title in the final round held on April 15 at the Cap St. Georges Hotel in Cyprus.
– Playing with white pieces, Vaishali defeated Russia’s experienced player Kateryna Lagno in the final round.
– At 24 years old, Vaishali became the first Indian woman to win the Candidates Tournament.
– She will now challenge China’s reigning World Champion Ju Wenjun in the World Championship.
– Vaishali was the lowest-rated player in the tournament.
– The first four games were drawn, and she lost the fifth.
– After that, she made a strong comeback and won the title.
– Since 2016, the Women’s World Championship has been dominated by Chinese players.
Gukesh had won the previous tournament
– In 2025, India’s D. Gukesh won the Candidates Tournament.
– Gukesh became the second Indian to win the Candidates Tournament.
– Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand first won the Candidates Tournament in 1995.
What is the Candidates Tournament?
– It is considered the most important event in chess because it decides who will challenge the World Champion.
– It is also called the semifinal of the World Championship.
– The winner gets a direct chance to play against the World Champion.
– It is the biggest qualifying tournament in chess.
– It is held every two years.
– It features the top 8 players in the world.
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4. Which Indian athlete broke a 48-year-old national record by completing a 42.195 km marathon in just 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 58 seconds?
a. Sanjivani
b. Sawan Barwal
c. Kartik Vijeta
d. Nirmaben Thakur
Answer: b. Sawan Barwal
– Indian athlete and Army personnel Sawan Barwal is part of the prestigious 501 FSE Group (Bengal Engineer Group), known as “Five Zero One, the Only One.”
– On April 12, 2026, at the NN Marathon Rotterdam in the Netherlands, he completed the full marathon (42.195 km) in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 58 seconds.
– With this performance, he broke the national record of 2:12:00 set in 1978 by legendary athlete Shivnath Singh.
– This record had stood for 17,486 days.
– It was the longest-standing record in Indian athletics history.
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5. When is Himachal Pradesh Day (Foundation Day) celebrated?
a. April 12
b. April 13
c. April 14
d. April 15
Answer: d. April 15
– April 15, 2026 marks the 79th Himachal Pradesh Day.
On April 15, 1948, the state was officially formed as a Chief Commissioner’s Province.
– After India’s independence, around 28 to 30 small princely states, including Chamba, Mandi, and Sirmaur, were merged.
– These were combined into a single administrative unit.
– In 1950, it became a Union Territory.
– On January 25, 1971, Himachal Pradesh attained full statehood.
– It became the 18th state of India.
– January 25 is celebrated separately as “Himachal Pradesh Statehood Day.”
– However, April 15 holds special importance as the beginning of its political identity.
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6. What was the retail inflation rate in India in March 2026?
a. 1.25%
b. 1.33%
c. 3.4%
d. 2.75%
Answer: c. 3.4%
– Amid the West Asia crisis, rising prices of some food items led to a slight increase in retail inflation to 3.4% in March 2026, up from 3.21% in the previous month.
– During March, high inflation was observed in gold and silver ornaments, coconut (copra), tomatoes, and cauliflower.
– Inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) with a new base year has increased but remains under control.
– The new base year for CPI is 2024.
Who releases the retail inflation data?
– NSO (National Statistical Office)
– It functions under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
How retail inflation is determined
– It is determined by the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
– It measures inflation in food items, fruits, clothing, footwear, housing, fuel, electricity, and others.
– NSO collects real-time price data from 1,407 urban markets (including online markets) and 1,465 villages across all states and Union Territories.
– As consumers, we purchase goods from retail markets, and CPI reflects changes in these prices. It measures the average prices we pay for goods and services.
Inflation target set by RBI
– The RBI has set a CPI-based inflation target of 4%, with a tolerance band of ±2%.
– Thus, inflation below 2% or above 6% is considered unfavorable for economic growth.
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7. What was the wholesale inflation rate in March 2026?
a. 0.83%
b. 1.81%
c. 2.13%
d. 3.88%
Answer: d. 3.88%
– India’s wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation stood at 3.88% in February 2026.
– Due to sharp increases in fuel, power, and manufactured goods prices amid the West Asia crisis, wholesale inflation rose for the fifth consecutive month in March.
– It was 2.13% in the previous month and 2.25% in March last year.
– Crude oil prices have risen by over 50% since the crisis began on February 28.
– On March 26, the government reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per liter to prevent passing the burden of higher crude prices onto consumers.
Reasons for the increase
– Rise in crude oil prices, indicating further inflationary pressure
– Increase in non-food article prices
– Rise in food prices
– This may also impact CPI (retail inflation) going forward
Who releases wholesale inflation data?
– Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)
– It operates under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
(Note – Retail inflation is released by NSO.)
What is wholesale inflation?
– It is based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
– WPI reflects prices at which goods are traded in bulk between businesses in wholesale markets.
– These prices are associated with bulk transactions.
(Note – Retail inflation is based on CPI.)
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8. When is World Art Day celebrated?
a. April 14
b. April 15
c. April 16
d. April 17
Answer: b. April 15
Theme for 2026
– A Garden of Expression: Cultivating Community Through Art
– It was declared during the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 2019.
– The day is celebrated to promote the development, dissemination, and enjoyment of art.
– Celebrated every year on April 15, World Art Day strengthens the relationship between artistic creations and society.
– It encourages greater awareness of the diversity of artistic expressions.
– It highlights the contribution of artists to sustainable development.
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9. When is World Voice Day celebrated?
a. April 14
b. April 15
c. April 16
d. April 17
Answer: c. April 16
– The main objective of World Voice Day is to promote proper care and training of the human voice.
– It began in Brazil in 1999, initiated by a group of voice health professionals to raise awareness.
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10. Mark Mobius passed away on April 15, 2026. What was he known for?
a. Singer
b. Painter
c. Global investor
d. Stock market expert
Answer: c. Global investor
– 89-year-old Mark Mobius lived in Singapore.
– Due to his investment approach, he was nicknamed the “Indiana Jones of emerging markets.”
– He traveled to more than 100 countries, including Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
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