Top news of the day: SC says state cannot subject ‘conscientious’ objectors to penal action for refusing to singVande Mataram; Women’s cricket team secure India’s first gold at Asian Games 2026, and more

The Indian women’s cricket team pose for a photograph with P.T. Usha after winning the first old medal for the country in the ongoing Asian Games in Japan, on September 11, 2026. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy Supreme Court says state can set National Song, but cannot impose conscientious objectors to penal actionThe Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 22, 2026) observed that while a democratically elected government may give shape to the scope and length of the National Song, it cannot violate individual and collective religious freedoms or subject conscientious objectors, who refuse to sing one or all the stanzas of the ‘Vande Mataram’, to penal consequences.Women’s cricket team extends dominance, delivers India its first gold at Asian Games 2026The Indian women’s cricket team reasserted its continental dominance by clinching a second successive gold medal at the Asian Games, thrashing familiar foes Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final on Tuesday (September 22, 2026). The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side’s gold was India’s first of the ongoing edition and was shaped by a brilliant batting performance that left Sri Lanka chasing a record target of 217Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam to be the next High Commissioner to IndiaThe current Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Asad Alam Siam, will be the next High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India. Bangladesh on Tuesday (September 22, 2026) received the Indian diplomatic document — agrément — that will pave the way for Mr. Siam to take charge of the High Commission of Bangladesh in New Delhi in the coming weeks. 2020 Delhi riots case: Sharjeel Imam gets interim bail for seven daysA Delhi court on Tuesday (September 22, 2026) granted interim bail for seven days from October 4 to activist Sharjeel Imam, accused in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai allowed the plea by Mr. Imam seeking interim bail for a week to attend his cousin’s wedding.Supreme Court says Delhi SIR notices seem ‘machine-generated’ and mechanically issuedThe Supreme Court on Tuesday (September 22, 2026) said the Election Commission of India’s notices during the special intensive revision (SIR) in Delhi to over 33 lakh voters due to ‘logical discrepancies’ or ‘no mapping’ with previous electoral records seems to be “machine-generated” without any application of mind.Jamui harassment case: All seven accused arrested; main accused shot at during police encounterThe main accused in the alleged harassment of a minor girl and her male friend in Bihar’s Jamui was shot in the leg during a police encounter, Additional Director General of Police (law and order) K.S. Anupam said on Tuesday (September 22, 2026). The ADG (Law and Order) said that all seven accused in the incident have been arrested. IIT Bombay to replace ceiling fans with wall-mounted fans after student’s deathIIT Bombay has initiated the replacement of ceiling fans with wall-mounted fans after the recent death of second year B-Tech student Sahil Wakode, sources familiar with the development said. The image of a batch of wall-mounted fans arriving at the campus as part of ‘renovation work’ has gone viral on social media.Vande Mataram row: Karnataka Governor asks CM to reconsider GO restricting rendition to two stanzasSetting the stage for a standoff between the Governor’s office and the Congress government in Karnataka, Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has asked Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to reconsider the Government Order issued on September 8 restricting the rendition of national song ‘Vande Mataram’ to two stanzas.Typhoon Dujuan leaves at least four dead in Japan, 45,000 houses without powerTyphoon Dujuan left at least four people dead and 22 injured in Japan, while thousands of houses near Tokyo were without power after the storm swept through the region, authorities said Tuesday (September 22, 2026). The typhoon moved away from Japan’s coast and out into the Pacific by morning, allowing authorities to lift or downgrade most heavy rain and landslide warnings.72nd National Film Awards: I am incredibly happy, says Kartik AaryanFrom Kartik Aaryan to music composer G.V. Prakash Kumar, members of the Indian film industry expressed their happiness at winning the National Film Awards. The awards ceremony was held in Gujarat for the first time. Actor Kartik Aaryan was over the moon for grabbing the Best Actor Award for ‘Chandu Champion’, a film that champions the spirit of Paralympians Published - September 22, 2026 05:59 pm IST