How Businesses Can Prepare for Regulatory Inspections: Key Legal Strategies, Compliance Frameworks and Risk Management Considerations

In today’s increasingly regulated commercial environment, businesses across industries are subject to frequent inspections, audits and investigative reviews by governmental authorities and regulatory agencies. Regulatory inspections may arise under corporate, taxation, labour, environmental, financial, anti-corruption, data protection, consumer protection and sector-specific laws. Such inspections often involve extensive scrutiny of operational records, financial documentation, compliance systems and internal governance mechanisms.

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Supreme Court Affirms That Marriage Does Not Sever a Daughter’s Ties With Her Natal Family: A Landmark Judgment for Gender Equality

In a significant judgment reinforcing constitutional principles of equality and non-discrimination, the Supreme Court of India has held that a married daughter does not cease to be a member of her parental family merely because of her marriage. The Court ruled that excluding married daughters from benefits available to other family members is rooted in outdated gender stereotypes and violates the constitutional guarantees of equality. The decision came in Kulsum Nisha v. State of Uttar Pradesh, where the Court struck down a discriminatory provision that prevented married daughters from being considered part of the “family” for the purpose of allotment of a fair price shop after the death of a family member.

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SUPREME COURT ISSUES NOTICE ON PIL SEEKING STRONGER ENFORCEMENT OF DISABILITY COMMISSIONERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS: A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS STRENGTHENING DISABILITY RIGHTS GOVERNANCE IN INDIA

In a significant development for disability rights jurisprudence in India, the Supreme Court has issued notice to the Union Government in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking stronger enforcement mechanisms for recommendations issued by disability commissioners under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act). The matter, titled Shashank Pandey v. Union of India, was heard by a Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Prasanna B. Varale, which has listed the case for further consideration on July 21, 2026.

Continue ReadingSUPREME COURT ISSUES NOTICE ON PIL SEEKING STRONGER ENFORCEMENT OF DISABILITY COMMISSIONERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS: A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARDS STRENGTHENING DISABILITY RIGHTS GOVERNANCE IN INDIA

ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT: CONVICTION CANNOT BE BASED ON EVIDENCE RECORDED BEFORE SUMMONING AN ACCUSED UNDER SECTION 319 CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (CRPC)

In a significant judgment reinforcing the principles of natural justice and fair trial, the Allahabad High Court has held that a person summoned as an additional accused under Section 319 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) cannot be convicted solely on the basis of evidence recorded before his summoning. The Court emphasized that evidence recorded in the absence of the accused cannot be relied upon for conviction, as doing so would violate the accused's statutory and constitutional rights. The ruling came in Pramod Kumar Singh Alias Guddu Singh vs. State of Uttar Pradesh Through Secretary, Department of Home, where the Court acquitted a man who had been convicted of murder despite the fact that the principal evidence against him had been recorded before he was added as an accused during the trial.

Continue ReadingALLAHABAD HIGH COURT: CONVICTION CANNOT BE BASED ON EVIDENCE RECORDED BEFORE SUMMONING AN ACCUSED UNDER SECTION 319 CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE (CRPC)

Director Responsibilities Under Indian Corporate Governance Standards: Key Fiduciary Duties, Regulatory Obligations and Liability Risks

In India’s evolving corporate and regulatory landscape, directors occupy a position of significant trust, responsibility and legal accountability within the governance framework of companies. Directors are entrusted with overseeing corporate management, safeguarding stakeholder interests, ensuring statutory compliance and maintaining ethical business conduct. With increasing regulatory scrutiny, investor activism and enforcement proceedings relating to corporate misconduct, the role of directors has expanded far beyond routine managerial supervision and now encompasses extensive fiduciary, financial and governance obligations.

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SUPREME COURT REAFFIRMS TET REQUIREMENT FOR IN-SERVICE TEACHERS: REVIEW PETITIONS DISMISSED, DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2028

In a significant judgment reinforcing the constitutional mandate of quality education, the Supreme Court of India has dismissed a batch of review petitions challenging its earlier decision that made the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) mandatory for in-service school teachers. While refusing to reconsider the legal principles laid down in its 2025 judgment, the Court exercised its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to extend the compliance deadline by one additional year, allowing eligible teachers until August 31, 2028 to obtain TET qualification.

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SUPREME COURT ACQUITS TWO DEATH ROW CONVICTS IN UTTARAKHAND RAPE-MURDER CASE: A LANDMARK REAFFIRMATION OF THE PRINCIPLES GOVERNING CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

In a significant judgment reinforcing the foundational principles of criminal jurisprudence, the Supreme Court of India, in Mehtab v. State of Uttarakhand, acquitted two men who had been sentenced to death for the alleged rape and murder of a 55-year-old woman in Uttarakhand. The Court found that the prosecution had failed to establish a complete and reliable chain of circumstances connecting the accused to the crime. The three-judge Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta, and Justice Vijay Bishnoi set aside both the conviction and the death sentence imposed by the Trial Court and subsequently affirmed by the Uttarakhand High Court. The judgment serves as a powerful reminder that even in cases involving heinous offences, courts cannot substitute suspicion for proof, nor can they overlook investigative deficiencies merely because the allegations are grave.

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Common Compliance Mistakes Indian Startups Make in Their First Year: Key Legal Risks, Regulatory Challenges and Strategic Governance Considerations

India’s startup ecosystem has experienced unprecedented growth across sectors including technology, fintech, e-commerce, healthcare, artificial intelligence and digital services. Driven by innovation, venture capital investment and rapid market expansion, startups frequently prioritise product development, fundraising and commercial scaling during their formative stages. However, in the process of pursuing accelerated growth, many early-stage businesses inadvertently overlook critical legal and regulatory compliance requirements during their first year of operations.

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SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS ELECTION COMMISSION’S POWER TO CONDUCT SPECIAL INTENSIVE REVISION OF ELECTORAL ROLLS: REINFORCING ELECTORAL INTEGRITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY

In a landmark constitutional ruling delivered on May 27, 2026, the Supreme Court of India upheld the authority of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across various States and Union Territories. The judgment, delivered in Association for Democratic Reforms & Ors. v. Election Commission of India, marks a significant development in India’s electoral jurisprudence and clarifies the constitutional scope of the Election Commission’s powers under Article 324 of the Constitution of India. The Court held that the SIR process undertaken by the ECI is constitutionally valid, statutorily supported, and directly connected to the constitutional objective of ensuring free and fair elections. The judgment carries substantial implications for electoral administration, voter verification procedures, and the relationship between electoral rights and citizenship verification mechanisms.

Continue ReadingSUPREME COURT UPHOLDS ELECTION COMMISSION’S POWER TO CONDUCT SPECIAL INTENSIVE REVISION OF ELECTORAL ROLLS: REINFORCING ELECTORAL INTEGRITY AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY