Modi, Xi have given ‘clear and positive direction’ to relations, says NSA Ajit Doval in BeijingPrime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have given “a clear and positive direction” to the India-China relationship which has been “steadily returning to normalcy”, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said in Beijing on Tuesday (August 25, 2026).Mr. Doval held extensive consultations with Chinese Foreign Minister and Politburo member Wang Yi, as the two sides held the 25th round of talks between the Special Representatives on the boundary question.Mr. Doval and Mr. Wang spent several hours in each other’s company, first during “small group” discussions that both sides described as detailed and went on for more than 90 minutes, then during larger delegation level talks. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Doval also called on Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.OBC creamy-layer criteria: Supreme Court to set up special Bench to hear Centre’s pleaThe Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) agreed to consider setting up a special Bench to hear Centre’s plea seeking clarification on the applicability of its March 11 judgment on OBC creamy-layer criteria to candidates of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025.The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeks directions allowing the government to proceed with service allocation of the 958 candidates recommended by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for CSE-2025 on the basis of the OBC creamy-layer determination applied before the March 11 verdict.Wearing a headscarf has not been established as an ‘essential religious practice’ for women in Islam: Allahabad HCThe Allahabad High Court recently held that wearing a headscarf could not be established as an “essential religious practice” of Islam. The observation was made in a case involving a Muslim student’s demand to wear a hijab with her school uniform.A Division Bench of Justices J.J. Munir and Indrajeet Shukla, in an order of August 21, 2026, dismissed the petition filed by a Class 11 student seeking permission to wear a headscarf along with the prescribed uniform at the Tagore Public School in Prayagraj.In her plea, the student had argued that wearing the scarf was an essential religious practice protected by her fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. She had worn a headscarf at the same school from Class 6 onwards without objection, she said.Students in Bihar break through barricades in bid to gherao CM residence, police use water cannonsThousands of students fought a pitched battle with the Bihar Police in Patna on Tuesday (August 25, 2026), hurling stones and braving water cannons and lathi-charge, upon being prevented from marching to the Chief Minister’s residence to air their grievances.The protesters, most of them aspirants for Teachers’ Recruitment Exams to be conducted by Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) next month, had announced a ‘Mukhyamantri Awas gherao’ to press the demand for holding the written exams in a single stage, instead of prelims followed by mains.Resignation of six AIADMK MLAs rock Tamil Nadu AssemblyThe resignation of six AIADMK MLAs within a month of taking oath as members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly rocked the House on Tuesday (August 25, 2026). Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar, however, said it was their choice and only the Election Commission of India (ECI) could conduct elections to the constituencies that fell vacant following their resignations.As the debate triggered angry reactions from AIADMK members led by former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and ruling party members, the Speaker denied further discussion, saying the matter was pending before the court.Supreme Court dismisses Tarun Tejpal’s plea, directs him to surrender within two weeksThe Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) directed journalist Tarun Tejpal to surrender in two weeks in a 2013 rape case in which he has been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.A Single-Judge Bench of Justice Alok Aradhe said the appeal would be heard once the certificate of his surrender is filed in the Supreme Court on or before September 22, 2026. The State of Goa, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, argued that Tejpal should surrender before his appeal is listed for hearing in the Supreme Court. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for Tejpal, said his client’s appeal ought to be listed first.NEET-UG protests case: Petitioners seek re-constitution of high-powered enquiry committeePetitioners urgently sought before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant a re-constitution of the “under-equipped” high-powered enquiry committee (HPEC) chaired by former apex court Judge R. Subhash Reddy constituted to probe all issues concerning the police crackdown on students protesting NEET-UG paper leaks on July 20.An application filed by the petitioners clarified that they were not commenting on the personal integrity of any members of the HPEC, but they said the “enquiry is required to test the role of persons occupying the highest levels of the Union Executive, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Delhi Police and the Rapid Action Force”.‘Structural differences have not disappeared’: Chinese strategic affairs scholar on India-China tiesAhead of talks in Beijing on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Hu Shisheng, a leading Chinese strategic affairs scholar on South Asia, said the focus of both countries would be on “institutionalising stability” even as “structural differences” in the relationship remained.India and China will on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) hold the 25th round of talks between the Special Representatives (SRs) on the boundary question. Mr. Doval and Mr. Wang, who is also a member of the Politburo, will also take stock of relations ahead of next month’s expected visit to India by Chinese President Xi Jinping for the BRICS Summit, his first visit in seven years.Rahul Gandhi, Kharge write letter to PM Modi; asks for current census questionnaire to be cancelledCongress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) over the caste census issue.The letter said the government has opted for open-ended question format to record caste details in census, which is misleading. The letter further asked for the current questionnaire to be cancelled.In a post on X, the Congress leaders said, “Your govt has opted for open-ended question format to record caste details in census, which is misleading”.Supreme Court notice on TMC’s Abhishek Banerjee plea for time-bound decision on disqualification of 20 rebel MPsThe Supreme Court on Tuesday (August 25, 2026) agreed to hear a plea filed by Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee contending that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was delaying disqualification proceedings under the anti-defection law against 20 rebel party MPs who have aligned themselves with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI).A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant issued notice to the Secretary General, Lok Sabha and the MPs in question. Mr. Banerjee has sought a time-bound decision on disqualification of 20 rebel MPs.