Credit score determines loan eligibility; check and improve your score via the OneScore app before applying.
Credit checks are a mandatory component of unsecured loan underwriting and applicants should verify their Credit Score before applying. The OneScore mobile application permits consumers to obtain updated credit reports from major bureaus, identify adverse credit factors, and access personalised remedial recommendations and a Score Planner to work toward target creditworthiness required by lenders. OneScore also enables in app loan applications, eligibility assessment, customised offers, and repayment monitoring.

Artificial urgency bars expedited hearings; misuse of urgent-hearing facility attracted costs and prompted petition withdrawal.
The bench held that the procedural facility for urgent hearing cannot be invoked by creating artificial urgency; treating such invocation as an abuse of process, it refused the urgent-hearing application, imposed a costs order payable to a charitable institution, and the petition challenging only a show cause notice was subsequently withdrawn after the tax authority passed its order and the costs were deposited.

Digital identity misuse triggers income tax notices against individuals after forged PAN/Aadhaar are used to record transactions.
Large scale misuse of digital identity systems led to income tax notices issued against low income individuals after business entities allegedly recorded substantial transactions using forged PAN and Aadhaar details in the victims' names; victims were advised to file criminal complaints and local police and tax authorities have initiated probes while tax counsel assists in contesting attribution of the transactions.

Enhanced RBI supervision over co-operative banks increases regulatory powers and governance obligations under amended banking law.
Amendments to the Banking Regulation Act extend RBI's supervisory and regulatory powers to Urban Co-operative Banks, making management, governance, audit, capital and reconstruction/amalgamation provisions applicable. Complementary measures include an RBI Master Direction on Fraud Management, the Prompt Corrective Action framework, deposit insurance protections, and MSCS Act reforms introducing a Cooperative Ombudsman and Cooperative Election Authority to strengthen governance and accountability.

Electronic processing of personal carriage enables air passenger import/export of gems, jewellery and samples under FTP and HBP.
Electronic processing for Bill of Entry and Shipping Bill will apply to personal carriage by air passengers for gems and jewellery and samples/prototypes of machinery at designated airports, subject to the Foreign Trade Policy and the Handbook of Procedures; airport-specific coverage limits export, import and sample/prototype facilities and standardises documentation and clearance to promote ease of doing business.

Import safety enforcement protects domestic industry through trade remedy investigations and risk based customs controls.
Statutory and administrative measures address substandard imports through DGTR investigations under the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, enforcement by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Customs under the Customs Act, 1962, and risk-based examination by the Indian Customs Risk Management System. Food imports are controlled under Section 25 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and related import regulations with FSSAI clearance requiring scrutiny, inspection, sampling and testing. BIS standards and quarantine, sanitary and phytosanitary measures apply to imported goods to protect domestic producers and public health.

Tax penalty imposed on airline challenged over asserted dismissal of pending appeal; company will contest and seek remedies.
The Income Tax Department's assessment unit has imposed a penalty of Rs 944.20 crore on InterGlobe Aviation for assessment year 2021-22. The company contends the order is based on an erroneous understanding that its appeal before the Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) was dismissed, whereas that appeal remains pending, and states it will contest the order and pursue appropriate legal remedies while noting no material impact on its financials or operations.

Suo motu cognisance refused after applicant sought court directions for investigation into judge following unacted complaint to tax board.
A litigant alleged non-consideration of his complaint to the chairman of the tax board seeking a civil investigation against an unnamed judge and asked the court to take suo motu cognisance and pass directions. The bench declined, stating that taking suo motu cognisance is the court's prerogative and not a matter for the litigant to prescribe, and indicated the litigant could pursue a public interest petition, a vigilance complaint, or a police complaint instead.

Income tax threshold increase eases taxpayer burden; Finance Bill returned with amendments including abolition of digital ad tax.
The Finance Bill's operative measures emphasise taxpayer relief through a raised income tax threshold and cautious revenue stewardship, and the Rajya Sabha returned the Finance Bill to the Lok Sabha with 35 government amendments, including abolition of the digital tax on online advertising, completing the 2025-26 budgetary legislative process.

Lateral entry and national security probe authority proposed enabling CBI to investigate without state consent
Parliamentary panel recommends lateral entry into the CBI and a new law to allow the agency to probe national security and integrity cases without state consent; Rajya Sabha chair rejected a privilege notice against a Union Minister; courts denied interim bail in separate criminal matters; BIS seized uncertified goods in warehouse raids; and income-tax offices extended hours to facilitate taxpayer compliance.

Year-end tax administration: income-tax offices to stay open for filings and fiscal settlements enabling taxpayer compliance.
Income-tax administration ordered offices nationwide to remain open on the year-end days to enable completion of pending taxpayer business and departmental accounting, emphasizing year-end filing and accounting obligations including the last opportunity to file updated income-tax returns; banking operations handling government business were similarly instructed to remain operational with special clearing arrangements to ensure receipts and payments are recorded in the current fiscal year.

Education loan tax benefit eases borrower tax burden and supports access to higher education with flexible repayment.
Education loans fund tuition and ancillary costs with comprehensive expense coverage; they offer a tax deduction on interest and borrower friendly repayment mechanics including a moratorium and flexible, customisable schedules. Smaller loans often require no collateral, enabling access for families without pledgeable assets, and timely repayment helps build credit while preserving family savings.

Impersonation in a bogus income-tax raid led to arrests and charges under theft, forgery and cheating provisions.
A coordinated robbery was perpetrated by persons impersonating income tax officers, prompting investigation after the absence of a seizure list led the victim to complain; CCTV review and interrogations produced arrests of eight suspects, including five serving CISF personnel, and the probe remains ongoing. Investigators allege a property-dispute motive involving the victim's stepmother who recruited security personnel to carry out the fake raid; the accused have been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for theft, forgery and cheating while police continue efforts to locate additional conspirators.

Income tax notice prompts small vendor to respond and produce bank records under threat of an outstanding tax demand.
A small kiosk operator received an income tax notice alleging an outstanding tax demand of Rs 7.79 crore and was directed to reply by March 28; following legal advice he was told to gather his bank account records so a formal response could be drafted.

Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorist Financing frameworks strengthened through public-private collaboration and risk-based digital measures.
Strengthening AML and CFT frameworks requires calibrated, targeted regulation and a continually refined risk-based approach to reduce false positives and compliance burden. Effective implementation depends on robust public-private partnerships for information sharing and capacity building, supported by lawful data protection. Digital solutions such as digital KYC and centralized registries can improve detection and onboarding, while technology-neutral implementation of cross-border payment standards and travel rule compliance must address interoperability and vulnerabilities to proliferation financing.

Health insurance tax deduction under Section 80D: claim eligible premium and preventive check-up deductions before financial-year end.
Health insurance premiums qualify for tax deductions under Section 80D for individuals, spouses, dependent children, and parents, with age differentiated limits that include preventive health check-up expenses within overall caps. Taxpayers should review, renew, or purchase policies before the financial year end, use digital issuance for instant documentation, and ensure premiums and preventive care costs are documented to substantiate deduction claims.

Undisclosed income redefinition refocuses block assessment scope and procedural rules, plus pension validation retained.
The Finance Bill, 2025 amends income tax and related fiscal provisions to define and apply total undisclosed income for block assessments, restrict and specify eligible securities investors (including FIIs and specified IFSC funds investing under SEBI or IFSC Authority regulations), adjust procedural timelines and return filing extensions after searches or requisitions, permit transfer of seized material to Assessing Officers of other persons, and validate the Central Government's authority to classify pensioners and maintain pension distinctions arising from Central Pay Commission implementations.

Corporate salary account partnership enables payroll banking services, backed by agency bank designation and tax/pension payment authorisations.
A memorandum of understanding establishes a commercial banking arrangement under which Bandhan Bank will provide a corporate salary account product offering zero-balance savings, protection benefits, and preferential interest; the bank's designation as an agency bank and authorisation for tax collection and pension disbursement provide the regulatory permissions and operational basis for implementing the payroll and payment services.

Safe harbour rules expanded to broaden eligibility and include electric vehicle battery components, enhancing transfer pricing certainty.
CBDT has amended the Income-tax Rules to expand the safe harbour rules for transfer pricing by increasing the eligibility threshold and including lithium ion batteries for use in electric or hybrid electric vehicles within the definition of core auto components; these amendments are applied for two specified assessment years to provide tax certainty for assessees opting for the safe harbour mechanism.

RRB financial performance review highlights strengthened capital adequacy, reduced NPAs and renewed focus on MSME lending and inclusion.
Government review of Regional Rural Banks emphasises financial performance, capital adequacy, technology upgradation and credit diversification toward agri allied, MSME and retail sectors, noting improved deposits, advances, reduced net NPAs and higher credit to deposit ratio; oversight also examines RRBs' progress in implementing rural financial inclusion and social security schemes.