INDIAN EXPRESS DATED 30th SEP 2026.

Summary of Important News Items Editorials-477

INDIAN EXPRESS DATED 30th SEP 2026.

(for reading Indian Express News items from 1 to 476 please visit –

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1. Supreme Court to Examine ECI’s Collective Authority and SIR

The Supreme Court agreed to hear a petition questioning whether the Chief Election Commissioner can exercise powers that constitutionally belong to the Election Commission as a multi-member body. The petition also seeks to invalidate the nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and asks the Court to examine the Commission’s original records. It follows reports that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi recorded objections on several occasions concerning SIR-related decisions. The petition relies on Article 324 and Section 18 of the 2023 Act, arguing that decisions of the Commission should be unanimous or, where members disagree, taken by majority. Logic: institutional independence also requires collegial internal decision-making. Gist: the case could clarify the constitutional distinction between the CEC as chairman and the ECI as the collective decision-making authority, with implications for electoral-roll integrity and institutional accountability.

2. India Amid US-China Competition — De-risk and Diversify

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar described the United States and China as being in a “competitive mode” and said countries such as India must de-risk and diversify their external relationships. Speaking after the UN General Assembly session, he argued that countries are searching for new partners and extracting greater value from existing partnerships as the international order becomes more fragmented. He also said India and the US had reached “more or less an understanding” on their trade agreement, while stressing that insufficient American appreciation of India’s concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan could affect bilateral relations. Logic: strategic autonomy today means reducing excessive dependence without withdrawing from major-power partnerships. Gist: India’s foreign policy is increasingly based on multi-alignment, diversified supply chains and issue-based partnerships. The challenge is to engage both major powers while protecting India’s security, economic and technological interests.

3. Deep-Tech RDI Fund Hits a Pause — Policy Announcement versus Implementation