UPSC Current Affairs 24 October 2026: Legislative Councils, Shamonda Virus, PLFS Revamp, Ladakh Draft, Cyclone Arnab & Economics of Social Unrest

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Table of Contents

1. Legislative Councils: Debates and Functioning Today (GS-II)
2. Shamonda Virus: Signs and Science (GS-III)
3. PLFS Revamp: Measuring Gig Work and Unpaid Household Work (GS-III, GS-I)
4. MHA Draft on Ladakh: Elected Body's Laws Need L-G Nod (GS-II)
5. Cyclone Forming in the Bay of Bengal (GS-I, GS-III)
6. Economics of Social Unrest: Causes and Consequences (GS-III, GS-I)

1. Legislative Councils: Debates and Functioning Today

Syllabus: GS-II – State Legislature; Comparison with Parliament | Exam: Prelims + Mains

Why in News

Elections were held on 23 October 2026 for 28 seats in the Legislative Councils of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka. The polls have revived an old question: does India still need second chambers in the States?

Background

Bicameralism in the provinces began with the Government of India Act, 1935, and Bengal's Council was the first to function, in 1937. The Constituent Assembly was divided. Some members saw a second chamber as a check on hasty laws; others called it costly and undemocratic. The Constitution therefore left the choice to each State.

Today only six States have a Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad): Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.

Constitutional Provisions

Composition (Article 171(3))

• One-third elected by local bodies (municipalities, district boards)
• One-third elected by MLAs from among non-members
• One-twelfth elected by graduates of three years' standing
• One-twelfth elected by teachers (secondary school and above, three years' service)
• About one-sixth nominated by the Governor for literature, science, art, cooperation or social service

Members are chosen by proportional representation through the single transferable vote. It is a permanent House: members serve six-year terms, and one-third retire every two years.

Council vs Rajya Sabha

The Debate

Arguments for Councils

• Provide a second look at Bills drafted in haste
• Give a voice to teachers, graduates and local bodies
• Bring in experts who may never contest direct elections
• Ease the Assembly's workload on detailed debate

Arguments against Councils

• Add to the State's financial burden
• Can be overridden easily, so their check is weak
• Often used to accommodate leaders who lose direct elections
• The graduates' constituency was designed when graduates were few; it no longer reflects a special interest
• Creation and abolition depend on the ruling party: Andhra Pradesh abolished its Council in 1985 and revived it in 2007; Tamil Nadu abolished its Council in 1986, and revival attempts have kept the issue alive

Way Forward

A uniform national policy on second chambers, a time-bound process for pending Council proposals, and modernised graduate and teacher electorates would reduce the perception that Councils exist at the whim of the government of the day.

Key Facts at a Glance

• States with Councils: 6 (AP, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, UP)
• Creation/abolition: Article 169, by Parliament on Assembly resolution
• Size: max one-third of Assembly, min 40 (Article 171)
• Term: 6 years; one-third retire every 2 years; min age 30
• Delaying power: 3 months + 1 month on ordinary Bills; 14 days on Money Bills
• First provincial Council: Bengal, 1937 (under GoI Act, 1935)
• 23 October 2026: polls for 28 seats in UP, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka

2. The Signs and Science of the Shamonda Virus

Syllabus: GS-III – Health, Biotechnology; Zoonoses and One Health | Exam: Prelims (primary) + Mains

Why in News

On 22 October 2026, France reported the world's first documented human infection with Shamonda virus (SHAV), a livestock virus never before seen in people. The patient was severely immunocompromised and died in early October at a hospital in Lyon. Brain complications before death were judged very likely to be linked to the virus. French authorities said there is no identified risk to the general public.

What Is the Shamonda Virus?

• Classification: genus Orthobunyavirus, family Peribunyaviridae, order Bunyavirales
• Genome: segmented, negative-sense single-stranded RNA (Baltimore Group V)
• Serogroup: Simbu group, which also includes Schmallenberg, Akabane and Oropouche viruses
• Discovery: first isolated from cattle in Nigeria in 1965; later found in parts of Africa, Asia and Australia
• Vector: Culicoides biting midges, tiny blood-sucking flies that also spread bluetongue in livestock

Spread in Europe in 2026

The virus spread into central Europe this year for the first time. Cases in cattle were reported from Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Jersey, with infections in at least 14 European countries. Germany found two distinct variants, now named SHAV-EU1 and SHAV-EU2. A related "Shamonda-like" virus has also been found in horses in Switzerland.

Signs of Infection

In animals (mainly cattle, sheep, goats)

• Fever and diarrhoea
• Sharp fall in milk yield
• Abortions and birth defects in calves; Swiss authorities found the virus in aborted foetuses
• Incubation period of about 2 to 5 days

In humans

• Only one known case so far, in a person with very weak immunity
• Neurological (brain) complications were observed
• No evidence yet of human-to-human transmission

How the Case Was Detected

Doctors tested the patient's cerebrospinal fluid for pathogen genes, and whole-genome sequencing confirmed the virus. The patient is believed to have been bitten by an infected midge near home in eastern France.

Why It Matters

• Spillover risk: shows how an animal virus can jump to humans, especially vulnerable ones
• Climate link: warmer temperatures widen the range and active season of midges and mosquitoes
• Livestock economy: abortions and milk losses hurt farm incomes
• No cure: there is no vaccine or specific treatment for humans or animals
• Lesson for India: India has a large cattle population and Culicoides midges are present; integrated surveillance under the One Health approach is the key defence

Prevention

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) advises insect screens, removal of midge breeding sites, vector surveillance and keeping animals indoors when midges are most active.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Virus: Shamonda (SHAV), Orthobunyavirus, Simbu serogroup
• First isolated: cattle, Nigeria, 1965
• Vector: Culicoides biting midges
• First human case: France, reported 22 October 2026 (immunocompromised patient, died)
• European variants: SHAV-EU1 and SHAV-EU2
• Vaccine/treatment: none
• Related viruses: Schmallenberg, Akabane, Oropouche
• WOAH: founded as OIE in 1924, headquartered in Paris; India is a member

3. Labour Survey Changes to Gauge Gig Work and Unpaid Household Work

Syllabus: GS-III – Employment, Inclusive Growth; GS-I – Women and Work; GS-II – Social Security | Exam: Prelims + Mains

Why in News

On 23 October 2026, the National Statistics Office under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) proposed changes to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) from January 2027. The aim is to count digital platform (gig) workers properly and, for the first time, record unpaid household and care work. Public comments were invited within 15 days, that is, by 7 November 2026.

What Is the PLFS?

• Launched in April 2017, replacing the older five-yearly employment–unemployment surveys
• Since 2025, gives monthly and quarterly estimates for rural and urban India
• Key indicators: Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR) and Unemployment Rate (UR)
• Two reference periods: Usual Status (past 365 days) and Current Weekly Status (past 7 days)
• Conducted by the NSO, formed in 2019 by merging the NSSO (set up 1950) and the Central Statistics Office

What Changes from January 2027

Why the Change Was Needed

MoSPI began collecting platform-worker data experimentally in January 2026. However, the existing sample picked up too few platform workers for reliable estimates. A dedicated sampling group fixes this.

Significance

• Gig economy visibility: India's gig workforce grew about 55% in the five years to 2025-26 and may form around 2% of the workforce. NITI Aayog (2022) projected 2.35 crore gig workers by 2029-30.
• Social security: the Code on Social Security, 2020 defines gig and platform workers; better data helps design schemes and e-Shram coverage.
• Women's invisible work: the Time Use Survey 2024 showed women spend far more time than men on unpaid domestic and care work. Counting it gives a truer picture of female labour force participation.
• Global standards: brings India closer to the ILO's 2013 (19th ICLS) framework on forms of work and labour underutilisation.
• Policy use: data can guide care infrastructure such as crèches and elder care, and satellite accounts that value household production.

Concerns

• Break in data series: new design makes comparison with earlier years harder
• Definitional issues: platform work is often part-time and spread across several apps
• Recording unpaid work does not make it employment: it is measured as "work", not counted as a job

Key Facts at a Glance

• Survey: Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), launched April 2017
• Agency: National Statistics Office, MoSPI
• Revamp effective: January 2027; proposal released 23 October 2026
• New focus: digital platform workers + unpaid household, care, volunteer and trainee work
• Platform-worker data collected experimentally since January 2026
• Linked law: Code on Social Security, 2020
• Related survey: Time Use Survey 2024
• Global benchmark: ILO 19th ICLS (2013) forms of work

4. MHA Draft on Ladakh Demands: Elected Body's Laws Need L-G Nod

Syllabus: GS-II – Federalism, Union Territories, Special Provisions (Article 371), Sixth Schedule | Exam: Prelims + Mains

Why in News

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has shared a draft governance framework for Ladakh. It proposes a directly elected UT-level body, but every law it passes would take effect only after the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) gives assent. Ladakh's two main civil society groups, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), have rejected the draft in principle.

Background

• Ladakh became a Union Territory without a legislature in 2019, after Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised.
• Since then, LAB and KDA have demanded statehood, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule, and safeguards for land, jobs and culture.
• In May 2026, both sides agreed in principle on a UT-level elected body with executive, financial and legislative powers.
• In September 2026, the MHA floated a new Chapter "K" under Article 371 (Article 371K) for Ladakh.

What the MHA Draft Proposes

• A "sui generis" (unique) model with a directly elected UT-level body having constitutional status
• Law-making limited to "regulations" on listed subjects, not full powers over the State List
• All regulations to need the L-G's assent; the L-G may also remove members
• Central laws continue to apply; the body's regulations cannot affect the powers of Parliament or the Centre
• A Chief Executive Secretary to head the bureaucracy
• Options on delimitation, electoral rolls and women's representation

What Ladakh Wants vs What the Draft Offers

Analysis

Centre's view: L-G assent is standard practice for Union Territories, which are administered by the President through an administrator under Article 239. Ladakh's border location with China and Pakistan also makes national security a priority.

Ladakh's view: An L-G veto over every law turns elected members into advisers. It falls short of the autonomy given under the Sixth Schedule or Article 371A, F and G.

Way Forward

A workable compromise could include clear Transaction of Business Rules dividing powers between the L-G and the elected body, time limits on assent, and constitutional protection for land and jobs. Sustained dialogue is essential, given Ladakh's fragile ecology and strategic location.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Ladakh became a UT without legislature: 2019
• Proposed provision: new Article 371K (Chapter K)
• Core issue: elected body's laws need L-G assent
• Negotiating groups: Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA)
• Model safeguards cited: Article 371A (Nagaland), 371F (Sikkim), 371G (Mizoram)
• UT regulations: Article 240 lets the President make regulations for certain UTs
• Existing local bodies: Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDC), Leh and Kargil

5. Cyclone Forming in the Bay of Bengal

Syllabus: GS-I – Physical Geography (cyclones); GS-III – Disaster Management | Exam: Prelims + Mains

Why in News

On 23 October 2026, a low-pressure area formed over the east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal under an upper-air cyclonic circulation. By 24 October it had become a well-marked low, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a pre-cyclone watch for Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha. The system later became Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Arnab, the Bay of Bengal's first cyclone of 2026, and made landfall on the Andhra Pradesh–Yanam coast on 28 October with winds up to 140 km/h.

How the System Grew

1. 23 October: low-pressure area forms
2. 24 October: well-marked low; depression expected later in the day
3. 25 October: deep depression
4. 26 October: cyclonic storm named Arnab; later severe, then very severe cyclonic storm
5. 28 October: landfall between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam, near Yanam; weakened after landfall

IMD Classification of Cyclonic Disturbances

Why October–December Favours Bay of Bengal Cyclones

• Warm sea surface: temperatures above 26.5°C supply heat and moisture
• Retreating monsoon: the monsoon trough shifts south over the Bay, creating low-pressure zones
• Low vertical wind shear: lets storms grow tall and organised
• Remnants from the Pacific: some systems from the South China Sea enter the Bay
• Shape of the Bay: a funnel-shaped, shallow coastline amplifies storm surges in Odisha, Andhra and Bengal

Cyclone Naming

Names come from a list prepared by the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones, whose 13 member countries each contribute names. IMD's Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC), New Delhi, assigns them for the North Indian Ocean. "Arnab" was contributed by Bangladesh. Montha, which hit the same coast on 28 October 2025, was named by Thailand.

Preparedness

States closed schools in coastal districts, banned fishing, opened cyclone shelters and deployed NDRF teams. Andhra Pradesh released ₹27 crore for relief. India's early warning has turned cyclones from mass-casualty events into manageable disasters, as the zero-casualty approach shows.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Low formed: 23 October 2026, east-central Bay of Bengal
• Name: Arnab (given by Bangladesh)
• Peak: Very Severe Cyclonic Storm, gusts up to 140 km/h
• Landfall: 28 October 2026, Andhra Pradesh–Yanam coast (Bapatla–Visakhapatnam)
• First Bay of Bengal cyclone of 2026
• Naming body: WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones (13 members)
• Warning agency: IMD, RSMC New Delhi
• Threshold for cyclone formation: SST above 26.5°C

6. Understanding the Economics of Social Unrest: Causes and Consequences

Syllabus: GS-III – Indian Economy, Growth and Employment; GS-I – Poverty and Social Issues; Essay | Exam: Mains + Essay

Why in News

A wave of street protests across France, Albania, Belgium, Italy and Portugal has put the spotlight on what drives social unrest and what it costs economies. The anger is tied mainly to the cost of living, though the timing of protests is often political.

What Causes Social Unrest?

Economic drivers

• Rising food and fuel prices that erode purchasing power
• Widening income inequality and a sense of economic injustice
• Job insecurity, stagnant wages and weak public services
• Austerity: spending cuts or welfare reforms to reduce public debt

Non-economic drivers

• Distrust of government and political grievances, often sharpened before elections
• Social media and digital access, which make mass mobilisation fast and cheap
• Collective behaviour: visible protests signal that opposition is widespread and draw in others

Inequality Alone Is Not the Answer

The data shows a mixed picture. Between 2014 and 2024, the income gap widened in France and Italy but narrowed in the UK, Germany and Spain. France's gap, though rising, remains among the lowest in its peer group. So inequality cannot by itself explain why unrest erupts in some places and not others.

What Best Predicts Unrest?

IMF researchers built a Reported Social Unrest Index covering 130 countries from 1985 onwards, based on press coverage. Using machine learning on more than 340 indicators, they found:

1. Past turmoil is the strongest predictor. Earlier unrest at home and in neighbouring countries was about 10 times as informative as the best economic or social indicator. It may reflect long-unresolved grievances.
2. Digital access and social media penetration come next.
3. Food and fuel prices matter, but are not the biggest predictors of when unrest happens.

What Are the Consequences?

Economic factors matter much more for the damage than for the trigger.

• GDP loss: major unrest events cut GDP by about 1 percentage point, on average, six quarters later
• Severity by motive: unrest driven by socio-economic grievances causes sharper GDP falls than purely political unrest; events with both motives cause the steepest falls
• Investment: uncertainty delays domestic and foreign investment
• Tourism and trade: a region's image as a safe destination suffers
• Jobs and incomes: disruption cuts working hours and household earnings
• Fiscal strain: more spending on security, relief and recovery
• Markets: stock valuations fall as risk rises

Relevance for India

India's income gap stands at 38, against 118 in South Africa. Still, India faces similar risks from food inflation, youth unemployment and rapid social media mobilisation. Research on Indian States finds that redistributive transfers reduce civil unrest more effectively and cheaply in the medium term than policing, which works at best in the short term.

Way Forward

• Strengthen social protection for households hit by food and fuel price shocks
• Promote inclusive growth with more jobs and better wages
• Improve access to education, health, housing and transport
• Balance debt reduction with protection of essential welfare spending
• Build early-warning systems for price shocks and rising social tension
• Keep channels of dialogue and grievance redressal open