Daily Current Affairs – 05-05-2026

Tamil Nadu News

TVK Emerges as Single Largest Party in Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2026

In the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Election, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) led by Vijay contested independently and emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats out of 234 constituencies, while the majority mark is 118 seats. The election was held on April 23, 2026, with a voter turnout of 85.10% following the Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls. The contest involved four major groups: the DMK-led alliance, AIADMK-led alliance, TVK, and Naam Tamilar Katchi led by Seeman. During vote counting that began on May 4, TVK maintained a lead across constituencies, pushing the ruling DMK to third position and AIADMK alliance to second initially. M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister and DMK leader, lost from Kolathur constituency to TVK candidate V.S. Babu, while only Udhayanidhi Stalin (Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni) and P.K. Sekar Babu (Harbour) won among ministers, with 17 ministers defeated. Vijay won from both Perambur and Tiruchirappalli East constituencies. The final tally showed TVK – 108 seats, DMK alliance – 73 seats, and AIADMK alliance – 53 seats. Since no party secured a majority, the decision to invite a party to form the government rests with the Governor of Tamil Nadu, R.N. Ravi, who may invite either the single largest party or a post-poll alliance to prove majority in the Assembly. The DMK, having secured 59 seats, attained the status of Opposition party in the Assembly.

States’ News

Assembly Election Results in West Bengal, Kerala and Assam

In West Bengal (294 constituencies), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) defeated the Trinamool Congress led by Mamata Banerjee and formed the government for the first time with around 207 seats, crossing the majority mark of 147 seats, while the Trinamool Congress secured 80 seats after ruling for 15 years. In Kerala (140 constituencies), the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) defeated the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and formed the government with 102 seats, exceeding the majority mark of 71 seats, while the LDF won 35 seats and the BJP secured 3 seats. In Assam (126 constituencies), the BJP retained power for the third consecutive term by winning 82 seats, crossing the majority mark of 64 seats; its allies Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front won 10 seats each, raising the alliance strength to 102 seats, while the Congress secured 19 seats.

Congress-led UDF Forms Government in Kerala Assembly Election

In the 2026 Kerala Legislative Assembly Election held for 140 constituencies, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) defeated the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and formed the government by winning 102 seats, while the LDF secured 35 seats and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 3 seats. Within the UDF, the Indian National Congress won 63 seats and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) secured 22 seats, while other alliance partners won the remaining seats. In the LDF, the CPI(M) won 26 seats, the Communist Party of India (CPI) won 8 seats, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) won 1 seat. Compared to the 2021 election, where the LDF won 99 seats, it declined to 35 seats in 2026. In key constituencies, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan won from Dharmadam by 19,247 votes, V.D. Satheesan, Leader of the Opposition, won from Paravur by 20,600 votes, and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, former Union Minister of State, won from Nemom by 4,978 votes. Following the results, Pinarayi Vijayan resigned as Chief Minister, and his resignation was accepted by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who asked him to continue as caretaker Chief Minister until alternative arrangements are made.

BJP Retains Power in Assam Assembly Election 2026

In the 2026 Assam Legislative Assembly Election held on April 9, with a voter turnout of about 86%, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power for the third consecutive term by securing a two-thirds majority in the 126-member Assembly. The BJP won 82 seats, while its allies Bodoland People’s Front and Asom Gana Parishad won 10 seats each, taking the alliance strength to 102 seats. The opposition Indian National Congress secured 19 seats, while All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) and Raijor Dal won 2 seats each, and Trinamool Congress won 1 seat. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma won from Jalukbari constituency by a margin of about 90,000 votes. Congress state president Gaurav Gogoi lost from Jorhat constituency to BJP leader Hitenndranath Goswami by 23,181 votes, and Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia lost from Nazira constituency to BJP candidate Mayur Borgohain by 46,701 votes. Compared to the previous election, where the BJP alliance won 75 seats, the BJP alone increased its tally to 82 seats, while the Congress tally declined from 29 to 19 seats.

National News

NDA Retains Power in Puducherry Assembly Election 2026

In the 2026 Puducherry Legislative Assembly Election, results announced on May 4 confirmed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) retained power by winning 18 out of 30 constituencies, crossing the majority mark of 16 seats, with N. Rangasamy of the All India N.R. Congress (AINRC) set to become Chief Minister again. Among NDA constituents, AINRC won 12 seats, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 4 seats, and AIADMK and Vanniyar Jana Nayak Katchi won 1 seat each. In the opposition INDI alliance, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) secured 5 seats and Indian National Congress won 1 seat, while TVK won 2 seats and its ally Devan Makkal Katchi won 1 seat, with Independents winning 3 seats. Since 6 seats are required for Opposition status, no party qualified for official Opposition status in the Assembly. The Union Territory has 6 counting centres, and counting began at 8 AM with postal ballots, followed by electronic voting machine (EVM) counting. In the Thattanchavady constituency, N. Rangasamy won by a margin of 4,441 votes and also secured victory in the Mangalam constituency; he had earlier founded the AINRC in 2011 after leaving the Congress and has held positions as Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition in previous years.

Absence of Left-Wing Rule in Indian States after 2026

Following the 2026 Kerala Assembly Election, the defeat of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] resulted in a situation where no Indian state has a Left-wing government, marking the first time since 1977 in the past 50 years. Earlier, Left rule existed in West Bengal for 34 years until 2011 and in Tripura until 2018, after which Kerala remained the only state under Left rule since 2016, which has now ended. In 1957, Kerala formed the world’s first democratically elected Communist government under E.M.S. Namboodiripad. After Independence, the Communist Party of India (CPI) emerged as the largest opposition party in Parliament. During the 1990s and 2000s, Left parties played a significant role in coalition politics at the national level. In 2004, Left parties reached their peak influence by winning 61 Lok Sabha seats and provided outside support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government led by the Indian National Congress, influencing key policy decisions.

Constitutional Provisions for Government Formation without Majority

In a 234-member Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, a party requires 118 seats to secure a simple majority and form the government. If no party achieves this majority after election results, the Governor acts under Article 163 and Article 164 of the Constitution of India to invite parties to form the government through various methods, including inviting a pre-poll alliance, the single largest party with sufficient support, or a post-poll alliance formed after the election, and also allowing a minority government with external support. The leader of the legislative party is appointed as Chief Minister, and under Article 174, the Assembly is convened. As per the 1994 Supreme Court judgment in the S.R. Bommai case, the government must prove its majority on the floor of the House by demonstrating support of 118 members. If the invited party fails to prove majority, the Governor invites the next eligible party to form the government and prove its strength. If no party is able to establish a government, President’s Rule is imposed under Article 356, followed by fresh elections.

NSE Launches Electronic Gold Receipts (EGR) Trading

The National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) has introduced Electronic Gold Receipts (EGR) trading, where physical gold serves as the underlying asset. Under this system, a 1,000 gram gold bar can be converted into an electronic gold receipt, enabling seamless transformation of physical gold into a secure, tradable digital instrument within a regulated framework. Each EGR is fully backed by physical gold and can be traded on the exchange, facilitating integration of gold into the formal financial system. The initiative allows investors to hold gold electronically and ensures convertibility between physical and digital forms, improving liquidity and flexibility similar to other demat financial assets. The system also supports efficient price discovery and enhances participation from stakeholders such as jewellers, refiners, traders, and institutional investors.

India’s First Orbital AI Data Centre Satellite ‘Pathfinder’

India is set to develop its first orbital data centre satellite named “The Pathfinder”, through a collaboration between Pixxel and Sarvam AI, marking a new phase in computing with a homegrown Large Language Model (LLM) potentially being trained in space; the satellite, weighing 200 kg, is expected to reach orbit by end of 2026, and will be equipped with GPUs to train and run AI models, unlike traditional satellites that use low-power processors, as it will utilize advanced hardware similar to ground-based data centres; globally, companies like Google and SpaceX are exploring space-based computing due to rising energy demands, with global data centre capacity projected to reach 200 GW by 2030 as per JLL, and India’s capacity estimated to grow from 1.8 GW to 10.5 GW by 2031 according to Morgan Stanley; ISRO is also studying next-generation satellites with onboard data processing and storage capabilities, although concerns remain regarding high launch costs and challenges in repairing hardware in space.

SC Expands Definition of Acid Attack Victims under RPwD Act, 2016

The Supreme Court of India expanded the definition of “acid attack victims” under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 by including persons who were forcibly made to ingest acid, in addition to those affected by acid attacks; the judgment was delivered by a Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, stating that this inclusion will have retrospective effect from 2016; the Court recognized that both acid attack and forced acid ingestion are punishable offences under Section 124 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) with imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment; this decision enables such victims to receive benefits under the RPwD Act, 2016, including disability-related support; the Court exercised its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India to pass this order and also recommended framing a comprehensive policy framework for victims requiring long-term medical care.

BRO Project Deepak – 66th Raising Day

Project Deepak of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated its 66th Raising Day on May 4, 2026, at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, marking over six decades of service since its establishment in 1961; the project operates in key districts including Shimla, Kinnaur, Kullu, and Lahaul-Spiti, and has played a major role in developing strategic infrastructure such as the Hindustan–Tibet Road and the Manali–Leh axis, contributing to connectivity in remote border areas, national security, and regional development; it maintains over 1,100 km of road network, including high-altitude and border roads, supporting defence forces by ensuring vital communication lines and operational readiness; the project has also contributed to disaster management and rescue operations, including rescuing around 300 motorists at Baralachala Pass in May 2023 and evacuating over 250 civilians from Chandrataal in July 2023.

BRO Project Deepak – 66th Raising Day

Project Deepak of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated its 66th Raising Day on May 4, 2026, at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, marking over six decades of service since its establishment in 1961; the project operates in key districts including Shimla, Kinnaur, Kullu, and Lahaul-Spiti, and has played a major role in developing strategic infrastructure such as the Hindustan–Tibet Road and the Manali–Leh axis, contributing to connectivity in remote border areas, national security, and regional development; it maintains over 1,100 km of road network, including high-altitude and border roads, supporting defence forces by ensuring vital communication lines and operational readiness; the project has also contributed to disaster management and rescue operations, including rescuing around 300 motorists at Baralachala Pass in May 2023 and evacuating over 250 civilians from Chandrataal in July 2023.

CDS Inaugurates BCI Conference in New Delhi

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan inaugurated a conference titled “Brain-Computer Interface (BCI): Expanding Neural Frontiers & Its Strategic Implications” on May 5, 2026, at New Delhi, which was jointly organised by the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS); the conference was envisioned by Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, serving as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman COSC (CISC), and brought together military leaders, policymakers, scientists, medical experts, industry representatives, start-ups, and academia to discuss the strategic implications of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI); Major General (Dr) Ashok Kumar (Retd.), Director General of CENJOWS, highlighted the role of neural technologies in converting brain signals into actions, while Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, emphasised the growing integration between human cognition and computational systems.

MoD Signs ₹1,476 Crore Contract with BEL for Army Systems

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Hyderabad, on May 05, 2026, at Kartavya Bhawan-2, New Delhi, in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, for the procurement of five Ground-Based Mobile Electronic Systems worth ₹1,476 crore for the Indian Army, with a minimum of 72% indigenous content, under the ‘Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)’ category; the systems aim to modernise army units and strengthen the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem, reinforcing the government’s initiatives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

UIDAI–NFSU MoU for Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) signed a five-year collaboration agreement on May 05, 2026, at New Delhi to strengthen capabilities in digital forensics, cybersecurity, and advanced technology research; the collaboration is structured across six key areas including cybersecurity audits, forensic research, and capacity building, and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) provides an umbrella framework to enhance cyber resilience in UIDAI’s digital infrastructure, which supports India’s digital identity ecosystem.

India on USTR Priority Watch List for IPR

India continues to remain on the Priority Watch List of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) as per the special report released on April 29, 2026, which evaluates the adequacy and effectiveness of protection and enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) among trading partners; India is listed along with China and Russia among six countries, and the report highlights that India imposes high customs duties on IP-intensive products such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products, solar energy equipment, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and capital goods.

Sports News

Inter Milan Wins Serie A Title 2026

In the 2026 Serie A Football League held in Italy, Inter Milan won the championship on May 4 by defeating Parma 2–0 in the 35th round match, with goals scored by Marcus Thuram (45+1') and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (80'). Following this victory, Inter Milan secured the top position with 82 points, making it impossible for second-placed Napoli, which has 70 points, to overtake them even if it wins all remaining matches, as it can reach only 79 points. This victory marked Inter Milan’s 21st Serie A title in the history of the tournament. After securing the league title, Inter Milan is set to play against Lazio in the Italian Cup final for a second title in the current season.

Anjali Shekhawat Wins Gold in 10m Air Pistol

In the 24th Kumar Surendra Singh Memorial Shooting Championship, Anjali Shekhawat from Rajasthan won the gold medal in the women’s 10 metre air pistol event held on Monday. She had earlier secured fourth position in the qualification round with a score of 576-23x, and in the final she scored 240.5 points to finish first. Kanak Budhwar from Haryana won the silver medal with a score of 238.7 points.

China Wins 12th Thomas Cup Title

China won the Thomas Cup badminton championship by defeating France in the final held at Horsens, Denmark, securing its 12th title, and is now behind Indonesia, which holds 14 titles; the Chinese team was led by World No.1 Shi Yu Qi, the reigning World Champion, who won his singles match against Christo Popov with scores of 21-16, 16-21, 21-17, giving China an early lead, while Weng Hong Yang also contributed to the victory; France reached the final for the first time and secured its first-ever medal, with players Christo Popov, Toma Junior Popov, and Alex Lanier, where Lanier defeated Li Shi Feng with scores of 21-13, 21-10 to level the tie; earlier, South Korea defeated China in the Uber Cup women’s final, and India also secured a medal in the tournament, marking its second medal after 2022.

Economy News

RBI Deputy Governor Rohit Jain and Direct Tax Collection FY26

Rohit Jain, newly appointed Deputy Governor (DG) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), assumed charge and was assigned responsibility for 10 departments, including Foreign Investments and Operations, Financial Market Regulation, Internal Debt Management, Foreign Exchange, FinTech, Risk Monitoring, Information Technology, Government and Bank Accounts, Corporate Strategy and Budget, and Rajbhasha. In a separate development, data released by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) showed that net direct tax collection in FY 2025–26 grew by about 5% to ₹23.4 lakh crore, compared to ₹22.61 lakh crore in FY 2024–25, but fell short of the Revised Estimate (RE) of ₹24.21 lakh crore by around ₹81,000 crore. The corporate tax collection stood at ₹10.99 lakh crore, while non-corporate tax collection (including Securities Transaction Tax (STT)) was about ₹12.41 lakh crore. The gross direct tax collection was approximately ₹28.12 lakh crore, showing a 4.03% increase, while tax refunds declined by 1.09% to ₹4.71 lakh crore in FY26.

International News

Hantavirus Suspected on Ship near Cape Verde

A suspected outbreak of Hantavirus was reported on a cruise ship anchored near Cape Verde off the West African coast on May 4, with around 150 passengers onboard, mostly from Britain, the United States, and Spain. Three deaths were reported, including a Dutch couple and a German national, and several passengers fell ill, while one British national who had disembarked earlier was receiving treatment in South Africa. Authorities denied docking permission to the Dutch-flagged ship MV Hondius as a precaution to protect public health. Hantavirus is primarily transmitted through rodents such as rats, via exposure to their droppings, saliva, and urine, and was first identified in the 1970s near the Hantan River in South Korea. It causes diseases affecting the lungs and kidneys, with symptoms including fever, fatigue, cough, and breathing difficulty, and there is no specific treatment, with only supportive care provided. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the risk of human-to-human transmission is low.

Hantavirus Outbreak on MV Hondius in Atlantic

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that three deaths occurred due to suspected Hantavirus infection on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was travelling from Argentina to Cape Verde in the Atlantic Ocean. Among six affected individuals, one case was laboratory confirmed, while five were suspected, and one patient was undergoing treatment in South Africa. The outbreak was earlier identified as a severe acute respiratory illness by the South African Health Ministry, and a patient treated in Johannesburg tested positive for Hantavirus. The virus is transmitted through rodents via saliva, urine, and droppings, and infection may occur through bites or inhalation of contaminated dust. There are no specific vaccines or medicines for Hantavirus, and only supportive treatment is provided. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms appear within 1–8 weeks and include fever, headache, and muscle pain. The Public Health Agency of Canada states that about 1.5 to 2 lakh cases occur globally each year, mainly in China, with a 1–12% fatality rate. The virus is named after the Hantan River in South Korea, where it was identified during the 1950–1953 Korean War.

UNESCO Adds 12 New Global Geoparks

UNESCO announced 12 new Global Geoparks, increasing the total to 241 sites across 51 countries, covering more than 882,000 sq km; the new geoparks are located in China, France, Greece, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Portugal, Russian Federation, Tunisia, and Uruguay, with Tunisia receiving its first geopark, and the UNESCO Global Geopark designation, created in 2015, recognises areas with significant geological heritage such as rock formations, mountains, volcanoes, caves, canyons, and fossil sites, representing the history, evolution, and climate of the Earth; notable examples include Changshan Geopark (China) located at the junction of the Yangtze and Cathaysia massifs with over one billion years of geological history, Mt. Siguniang Geopark (China) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Terres d’Hérault Geopark (France) showing more than 540 million years of geological evolution.

Reports and Indices

UBS Cuts India FY27 GDP Growth Forecast

The Swiss investment bank UBS has reduced India’s GDP growth forecast for Financial Year 2027 (FY27) by 50 basis points to 6.2%. It stated that under an extended energy shock scenario, where crude oil prices rise to about $150 per barrel, India’s growth could decline to 5%–5.5%. However, if tensions in West Asia ease and the Indian crude oil basket averages around $85 per barrel, with supply resuming through the Strait of Hormuz by the June quarter, the growth rate could improve to 6.5%.

Personalities, Awards and Events

Two Indian Women Win Whitley Award 2026

Two Indian women, Parveen Shaikh and Barkha Subba, were among six global winners of the Whitley Award 2026, also known as the “Green Oscars”, presented on April 29, 2026, at the Royal Geographical Society, London, by Princess Anne (United Kingdom); the award is given by the Whitley Fund for Nature (UK) and provides £50,000 funding for one year along with training and global recognition to grassroots conservationists; Parveen Shaikh, a scientist at the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), was recognised for her work on conserving the endangered Indian Skimmer bird, found mainly in India and Bangladesh, with over 90% of the global population of around 3,000 in India, while Barkha Subba was recognised for her work on conserving the rare Himalayan Salamander species through community-based efforts.