Last Updated: May 2026
CLAT current affairs May 2026 Week 1 covers a packed legal calendar — five-judge Constitutional Bench judgments, the RBI Monetary Policy Committee’s repo rate decision at 5.25%, the Delimitation Bill outcome on 17 April that fell short of the 850-seat target, and the India-New Zealand FTA signed on 28 April 2026. CLAT 2027 aspirants must integrate these into legal reasoning, GK and current affairs sections — every passage in CLAT now uses real news from the prior 6 months. This compilation captures the legal events of 1–7 May 2026 with constitutional analysis, ratio decidendi for landmark judgments and 10 practice MCQs.
Why Week-Wise Current Affairs Matter for CLAT 2027
CNLU’s CLAT 2025 paper drew 38% of its passages from news published in the 90 days preceding the exam. Monthly compilations are too coarse. Week-by-week tracking — what was decided, who delivered the opinion, what statute is at stake — is now the gold standard. CLAT Gurukul publishes a weekly digest every Saturday for this reason.
1. Supreme Court Constitutional Bench — Key Judgments (April 28 – May 3, 2026)
| Case | Bench | Issue | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of Maharashtra v. Shiv Sena (UBT) Faction | 5J CB (CJI + 4) | Tenth Schedule disqualification timelines | Speakers must decide anti-defection petitions within 3 months; failure attracts judicial review |
| In Re: Article 142 Sentencing Powers | 5J CB | Whether Art. 142 can override mandatory minimum sentences | Art. 142 cannot dilute statutory minimum punishment in special acts (e.g., POCSO) |
| Union of India v. State of Tamil Nadu | 3J Bench | Governor’s withholding of assent to bills | Governor must act within ‘reasonable time’; indefinite withholding is unconstitutional |
| Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Constitutional Validity | 5J CB (reserved) | Section 152 BNS (acts endangering sovereignty) | Reserved; reading-down arguments concluded |
2. Reserve Bank of India MPC Decision — May 1, 2026
The Reserve Bank of India’s Monetary Policy Committee held the repo rate at 5.25% in its 1 May 2026 meeting (4–2 vote). The Standing Deposit Facility rate stays at 5.00% and Marginal Standing Facility at 5.50%. Stance: ‘neutral’. Inflation projection for FY27: 4.2%. GDP growth projection: 6.8%. CLAT GK passages routinely test repo, SDF, MSF and CRR — memorise current values.
3. Delimitation Bill 2026 — Why 850-Seat Cap Failed (17 April 2026)
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2026 — proposing to lift the Lok Sabha seat cap to 850 from the current 543 — failed to clear Rajya Sabha on 17 April 2026 (votes: 121 in favour, 119 against, two-thirds majority not reached). Article 368 requires a special majority for changes to representation provisions. The next census-based delimitation is now scheduled post-2026 census completion, expected 2028. Passages on this bill have already appeared in CLAT 2026 mocks.
4. India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (28 April 2026)
India signed a comprehensive FTA with New Zealand on 28 April 2026 covering goods, services, investment and digital trade. Key features: zero-duty access on 92% of Indian exports; mutual recognition of professional qualifications in IT services; sustainable agriculture chapter. Signed by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and NZ Trade Minister Todd McClay. Comes into force 1 January 2027 after parliamentary ratification.
5. Petroglyph Park Ladakh — Cultural Heritage Notification
The Ministry of Culture notified Ladakh’s Petroglyph Park as a Centrally Protected Monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. The notification dated 2 May 2026 covers 1,200+ rock carvings dating back 5,000 years. CLAT legal reasoning often uses heritage protection laws as principle-fact pairs.
6. Shekha Jheel Wetland — India’s 99th Ramsar Site
Shekha Jheel in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh district was declared India’s 99th Ramsar Site on 30 April 2026. India now has the highest number of Ramsar wetlands in South Asia. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (1971) and India’s Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 are recurring CLAT GK topics.
10 Practice MCQs (CLAT-Style)
- The State of Maharashtra v. Shiv Sena (UBT) judgment held that Speakers must decide Tenth Schedule disqualification petitions within how many months?
(a) 1 month (b) 3 months (c) 6 months (d) 12 months — Ans: (b) - What is the current repo rate as per RBI MPC’s 1 May 2026 meeting?
(a) 5.00% (b) 5.25% (c) 5.50% (d) 6.00% — Ans: (b) - Which Constitutional Amendment Bill proposed to raise Lok Sabha seats to 850?
(a) 128th (b) 129th (c) 130th (d) 131st — Ans: (b) - Article 142 cannot override what, per the recent SC ruling?
(a) Fundamental Rights (b) Statutory minimum sentences (c) Constitutional Amendments (d) Both (a) and (b) — Ans: (b) - India’s 99th Ramsar Site is located in which state?
(a) Bihar (b) Madhya Pradesh (c) Uttar Pradesh (d) Rajasthan — Ans: (c) - The India-New Zealand FTA was signed on which date?
(a) 28 March 2026 (b) 28 April 2026 (c) 1 May 2026 (d) 30 April 2026 — Ans: (b) - Which Act governs the protection of Ladakh’s newly notified Petroglyph Park?
(a) Forest Rights Act 2006 (b) Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (c) AMASR Act 1958 (d) Biodiversity Act 2002 — Ans: (c) - SDF and MSF currently stand at what rates?
(a) 4.75 / 5.25 (b) 5.00 / 5.50 (c) 5.25 / 5.75 (d) 4.50 / 5.00 — Ans: (b) - The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution deals with what?
(a) Languages (b) Anti-defection (c) Panchayats (d) Tribal areas — Ans: (b) - The Ramsar Convention concerns:
(a) Climate change (b) Wetlands (c) Endangered species (d) Whaling — Ans: (b)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How many current affairs questions appear in CLAT 2027?
Roughly 28–32 GK questions, with 12–15 passages drawing from current affairs of the past 12 months. Legal reasoning passages additionally embed contemporary statutes and judgments.
Q2. Should I memorise dates of Supreme Court judgments?
Yes, for landmark Constitutional Bench rulings. CLAT increasingly tests case names with dates and key holdings. Use a date-wise digest format.
Q3. How far back should I read current affairs?
From January 2026 to October 2026 is the safe window for CLAT 2027 (held in December 2026). Older constitutional milestones (50+ years) are static GK.
Q4. Which newspapers should I follow?
The Hindu (editorial + national) + Indian Express (legal reporting) + LiveLaw (judgments). Skip TV news.
Q5. Where is the next weekly compilation?
Every Saturday on this blog. Bookmark /category/current-affairs/.
Internal Resources
- CLAT Current Affairs May 2026 — Full Monthly Compilation
- CLAT 2027 Syllabus — Complete Breakdown
- CLAT FAQ — 50+ Questions Answered
- Free CLAT Mock Test 2027
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