Polity (February 2026)

​1. Centre-State Relations: The Justice Kurian Joseph Committee Report

​In mid-February 2026, the high-level committee on Union-State Relations (appointed by Tamil Nadu) submitted its landmark report. It is the most significant document on federalism since the Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions.

​Mains Dimensions: "Creeping Centralization"

• ​The Problem: The report warns of "Creeping Centralization," where the Union is gradually taking over state powers through administrative and fiscal routes (e.g., GST, NEET, Centrally Sponsored Schemes).
• ​Proposed "Structural Reset":
  • ​Governors: Proposed a mandatory 15-day deadline for Governors to sign bills. If they don't act, the bill should be deemed "approved."
  • ​Article 3 Reform: Recommends that State Concurrence be made mandatory before changing state boundaries or names, rather than mere consultation.
  • ​Education: Suggests moving Education back to the State List (from the Concurrent List) to allow states to manage their own admission policies.
  • ​Fiscal Federalism: Critiques the excessive use of Cesses and Surcharges (which aren't shared with states) and calls for their inclusion in the divisible pool.

​2. Renaming: Kerala to 'Keralam' (Feb 24, 2026)

​The Union Cabinet formally approved the proposal to change the name of the state of Kerala to Keralam.

​Constitutional Process (Article 3)

• ​The Trigger: A unanimous resolution from the Kerala Assembly (June 2024).
• ​Current Stage: The Cabinet's approval initiates the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026.
• ​The Path Forward: The President will refer the Bill to the State Assembly for views. It then requires a Simple Majority in Parliament to amend the First Schedule.
• ​Significance: Aligns the official English name with the native Malayalam pronunciation, reflecting linguistic authenticity.

​3. Judiciary: Landmark Supreme Court Judgments

​A. Spectrum as a "Public Trust" (Feb 13, 2026)

​In a major ruling regarding telecom insolvency, the SC defined the nature of natural resources.

• ​The Ruling: Spectrum is a "Material Resource of the Community" held in Public Trust by the Union.
• ​Legal Impact: It cannot be treated as an asset under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). Sovereign resources cannot be liquidated to pay off private commercial debts.
• ​Mains Dimension: Reaffirms Article 39(b)—the state must ensure that ownership and control of material resources are distributed to serve the common good.

​B. PMLA vs. Article 21

• ​The Ruling: The SC held that prolonged pre-trial incarceration under the PMLA violates the Right to Speedy Trial (Article 21).
• ​Impact: Even under stringent laws like PMLA or UAPA, if a trial shows no realistic prospect of starting soon, the constitutional right to liberty must prevail, and bail should be considered.

​C. Levies and Retrospective Tax

• ​The Ruling: The Executive cannot retrospectively impose tax liability without explicit legislative authority. Any levy collected without the authority of law must be returned.

​

4. Legislative: The Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026

​Passed by both houses in mid-February 2026, this bill refines the 2020 Labour Codes.

• ​Worker Redefinition: Aims to clarify the "worker" category to include certain gig and platform workers.
• ​Strike Definition: Widened to include "Mass Casual Leave" (if 50% or more workers take leave on the same day).
• ​Equality Clause: Mandates Equal Pay for Equal Work specifically across genders in industrial establishments.

​

5. Important for Prelims 2026 (Quick Facts)