Sansa Law Desk

In Gloster Cables Ltd. v. Fort Gloster Industries Ltd., decided on January 22, 2026, the Supreme Court of India held that the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) cannot adjudicate disputes over trademark ownership under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC), unless the dispute is directly tied to the insolvency resolution process. The Court ruled that determining title between rival claimants to a trademark falls outside the NCLT's limited jurisdiction under the IBC

The Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, has issued comprehensive guidelines for arbitration and mediation in contracts of domestic public procurement. These guidelines, applicable to all central government ministries, departments, and their attached or subordinate offices, mandate the inclusion of structured dispute resolution clauses in government contracts and establish a framework for resolving disputes through arbitration and mediation before resorting to liti

The Income Tax Rules, 2026, notified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes, have replaced the Income Tax Rules, 1962, with effect from April 1, 2026. Among the most practically significant changes are the expansion of the House Rent Allowance (HRA) metro city classification from four cities to eight, and the formal recognition of the Reserve Bank of India's Digital Rupee as a prescribed mode of electronic payment for tax-related purposes. These changes, contained within a stre

The Kerala High Court has directed the Sub-Registrar and Marriage Officer of Mavelikkara to process and solemnise the marriage of an Indian man and a Sri Lankan woman under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. The order, passed in May 2026, addresses the practical difficulties faced by cross-border couples seeking to register their marriage in India when one party is a foreign national. The ruling clarifies the obligations of Marriage Officers under the Special Marriage Act and re

The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) Mumbai Bench has admitted an insolvency petition filed by Reliance Alpha Services Private Limited against Prime Focus Limited under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. The petition alleges a financial debt of Rs 353.79 crore arising from a 2019 Loan Agreement. Prime Focus Limited, a prominent media and entertainment technology company, has challenged the order before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT

The Supreme Court of India has raised serious concerns over a November 2025 Delhi High Court judgment that prohibited law colleges across the country from debarring students for shortage of attendance. The bench observed that the ruling may have created significant disruption in legal education institutions, particularly National Law Universities (NLUs), and questioned the Bar Council of India (BCI) on why the decision had not been challenged. This development has reignited t

In Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission v. Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (2026 INSC 461), decided on May 7, 2026, the Supreme Court held that electricity consumers cannot be compelled to bear depreciation costs for a power plant that has stopped supplying electricity to them. The Court restored the order of the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) and set aside the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) judgment that had permitted Tata Power Delhi Dis

The practice of excommunication, known as baraat, within the Dawoodi Bohra community is now being examined by a nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court of India. This matter has been clubbed with the larger reference arising from the Sabarimala judgment, which concerns the interplay between religious freedom under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution and other fundamental rights. The hearings, which resumed in May 2026, raise fundamental questions about whether r

The registration of a First Information Report (FIR) sets the criminal law machinery in motion. Once an FIR is lodged, the accused faces investigation, potential arrest, and the social stigma that accompanies criminal proceedings. Recognising the grave consequences of frivolous or vexatious FIRs, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) introduced a significant safeguard under Section 173(3). This provision empowers the police to conduct a preliminary inquiry befor

The Reserve Bank of India (Co-Lending Arrangements) Directions, 2025, which came into effect on January 1, 2026, replace the earlier 2020 co-lending circular and establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for joint lending by banks and Non-Banking Financial Companies. The new framework standardises the operational structure of co-lending arrangements (CLAs), introduces clearer borrower protection norms, and sets minimum retention requirements for both lending partners. Th

Through a circular dated April 30, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Board of India introduced a fast-track mechanism for processing Placement Memorandums (PPMs) of Alternative Investment Funds. This procedural reform aims to reduce the time taken for AIF scheme launches by streamlining the review process for fund managers with a demonstrated compliance track record. The circular applies to all three categories of AIFs registered under the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds)

A growing legal conflict between India's Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, has reached the forefront of environmental and tribal rights jurisprudence. The core question is whether housing construction for tribal communities under government welfare schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY-Gramin) on forest land amounts to a violation of forest conservation laws, even where the communities hold rights recognised under the FRA. Rec

The Delhi High Court has set aside a 2018 arbitral award in the dispute between PTC Techno Pvt. Ltd. and Samsung India Electronics Pvt. Ltd., holding that the appointment of the arbitrator by an official of Samsung was legally impermissible. The ruling reinforces the principle, now well-established through a series of Supreme Court judgments, that unilateral appointment of an arbitrator by one party to the dispute undermines the fundamental requirement of arbitrator independe

In M/s Steag Energy Services (India) Pvt. Ltd. v. GSPC Pipavav Power Company Ltd. (2026), the Supreme Court reaffirmed the fundamental principle that courts must exercise restraint when reviewing complex contractual and technical decisions made by evaluative authorities in high-value commercial procurement processes. The judgment underscores the importance of respecting the expertise and discretion of bodies constituted to evaluate commercial proposals, and sets clear limits

On May 5, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Board of India published the first official list of 48 Significant Indices under the SEBI (Index Providers) Regulations, 2024. Index providers administering these indices, including NSE Indices, BSE, and CRISIL, must apply for SEBI registration within six months, by November 5, 2026. This marks a significant step in bringing index governance under formal regulatory oversight in India, aligning with global standards for benchmark adm