29th JULY 2026 ENGLISH TNPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS PDF TNPSC SHOUTERS
Bill to Amend the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 Passed
- Under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, obstructing or showing disrespect to the National Flag, the Constitution, or the National Anthem is a punishable offense.
- Such offenses carry a penalty of up to three years in prison. An amendment has now been introduced to classify the obstruction of or disrespect towards the national song, 'Vande Mataram', as a punishable offense.
- Accordingly, the 'Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026' was tabled in Parliament on the 24th, amidst strong opposition from opposition parties. The Bill was introduced by the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai.
- Following two days of debate, the Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha today via a voice vote, despite opposition from the opposition parties. The Bill has now been sent for the President's assent.
- Under this Bill, causing disruption or showing disrespect while the 'Vande Mataram' song is being sung will be considered a punishable offense. Penalties for this offense include imprisonment for up to three years, a fine, or both.
- Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh introduced the 'Prevention of Malpractice in Public Examinations (Amendment) Bill, 2026' in the Lok Sabha on the 27th.
- The bill stipulates that individuals involved in question paper leaks or examination malpractices face imprisonment ranging from a minimum of five to ten years and a fine of up to ₹50 lakh; for crimes orchestrated by organized groups, the penalty includes imprisonment of seven to ten years and a fine of up to ₹10 crore.
- Additionally, the bill includes provisions for setting up fast-track courts to expedite the trial of cases related to examination malpractices.
- Debates on this bill took place in the Lok Sabha over the past two days, with Members of Parliament from both the ruling and opposition parties expressing their views. As the discussion continued today (July 29, 2026), a voice vote was conducted around 3 PM.
- Lok Sabha members participated in the voice vote, and subsequently, the 'Public Examination Malpractices Prevention (Amendment) Bill, 2026' was passed; the Speaker made the official announcement. Following its passage in the Lok Sabha, the bill will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha for debate; it is expected to come into full effect once passed there.
- The 23rd Commonwealth Games are currently underway in Glasgow, Scotland, featuring over 3,000 athletes from 74 nations competing for medals.
- A contingent of 123 athletes is representing India. On the sixth day (yesterday), India secured two additional silver medals. India's Gulveer Singh made history by winning the silver medal in the men's 10,000m race.
- Gulveer Singh finished second, clocking a time of 27 minutes and 49.78 seconds (27:49.78).
- He set a record as the first Indian to win a medal in the 10,000m event in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
- Indian athlete Harjinder Kaur won the silver medal in weightlifting. Competing in the 69kg category, she secured second place with a total lift of 227kg—comprising 101kg in the snatch and 126kg in the clean and jerk.
- At the end of Day 6, India stands in 9th place with 12 medals: 2 gold, 7 silver, and 3 bronze. Australia holds the top spot, while Canada, England, Scotland, and Nigeria occupy the 2nd through 5th positions, respectively.
