Examination continuity and candidate fairness require re-examination where power failures prevent completion, alongside review of infrastructure accountability. NEET-PG 2026 examination continuity was disrupted for candidates at two Jaipur centres because of internal power-supply failures attributable to the technological partner and examination-conducting agency. A re-examination has been scheduled for the affected candidates, with the venue and revised admit cards to be communicated separately. Action against the entities responsible for ensuring adequate examination infrastructure is under consideration.
Women's monthly assistance eligibility restricts benefits to qualifying households and channels payments through deposits or restricted digital wallets. Delhi Lakshmi Yojana provides monthly financial assistance to eligible women through recurring deposits and restricted Central Bank Digital Currency wallets. Recurring deposits are locked until July 31, 2029, subject to possible review of the maturity period after two years from launch. Eligibility requires a qualifying woman to be the eldest female family member, meet income, residence and voter-registration requirements, and satisfy household restrictions. Income-tax payers, GST filers, government employees, higher-electricity-consuming households and four-wheeler-owning households are excluded.
Gasoline trade amid refinery disruptions relies on sanctioned fleets and dark ship-to-ship transfers, alongside continuing fuel export restrictions. Russian refinery disruption has increased gasoline imports and made India a significant supplier of gasoline to Russia. Indian supplies were principally linked to the Vadinar refinery, and increased Indian purchases of Russian crude may mean exported gasoline was produced from Russian crude. Russia has retained a gasoline export ban while domestic production remains disrupted. India-origin cargoes imported during August were carried on sanctioned fleets and involved dark ship-to-ship transfers, including transfers conducted with automatic identification system signals switched off.
Digital arrest fraud: judicial responses seek a distinct offence while preserving due process and proportionality in economic-crime enforcement. Suo motu consideration of digital-arrest fraud reflects a proactive judicial response to video-call scams involving impersonation of police, judicial officials or bureaucrats. The Union and the States have been directed to assess the problem, with a call for a distinct offence carrying proportionate penalties. Economic-crime enforcement remains subject to safeguards requiring written grounds of arrest and preventing pre-trial detention from becoming punishment. Due process, proportionality and the presumption of innocence remain central constraints.
Natural justice in licensing enforcement requires meaningful hearing and reasoned orders before cancellation or suspension of regulated operations. Natural justice in regulatory licensing enforcement requires a meaningful hearing, proper legal analysis, and a reasoned decision before licence cancellation or suspension. Maharashtra FDA withdrew cancellation of drug-sale licences after criticism of the procedure adopted. Food-safety enforcement against restaurants was also reconsidered where the premises were substantially compliant, despite licences being issued to one entity and operations being conducted by another. A fresh notice, hearing on the contractual arrangement, and reasoned order were required before further licensing action.
Food-safety licensing compliance supports reopening while contractual operation requires notice, hearing, and a reasoned regulatory decision. Food-safety licence suspension of five eateries was reconsidered after a fresh inspection recorded 88 per cent compliance. The suspension had continued because a third-party operator ran the eateries while licences remained in the association's name, despite no identified legal prohibition. The Food and Drug Administration proposed a fresh notice, hearing, and reasoned order on the contractual arrangement, while current compliance permitted services to resume.
Market access and regulatory cooperation advance agricultural, pharmaceutical, digital, and trade integration priorities across the bilateral economic partnership. India-Argentina cooperation focused on expanding bilateral trade, reducing non-tariff barriers, facilitating investment, and strengthening market access. Sanitary and phytosanitary discussions progressed for Indian agricultural products, while pharmaceutical engagement covered regulatory upgrading and reduced entry barriers. Mining and lithium-sector engagement, digital services, space technology, telecommunications, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure were identified as priority areas. The India-MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement, Terms of Reference and digital certificates of origin were considered mechanisms for trade facilitation and economic integration. Business discussions addressed commercial partnerships across agriculture, minerals, energy, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, banking and telecommunications.
Shared digital infrastructure for professional services aims to expand technology access, interoperability, capability development and secure adoption across firms. MCA and IICA are developing a government-backed digital public good ecosystem for domestic professional services, particularly small and medium practices. The framework proposes curated technology access, learning and capability development, and knowledge and practice infrastructure. It is intended to improve access to technology and professional knowledge while complementing existing institutional and market-based systems. Consultations address interoperability, common standards, cybersecurity, affordable access, implementation, change management, openness, competition and technology adoption suited to differing levels of digital readiness.
Methamphetamine trafficking enforcement targets concealed cross-border transport, with seizures, vehicle confiscation, arrests and stringent penalties under narcotics law. Methamphetamine trafficking enforcement under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 involved intelligence-led seizures of tablets in Assam and Mizoram, along with the vehicles allegedly used for transportation and arrests of two vehicle occupants. Field testing indicated the presence of amphetamine. The tablets were concealed in fabricated cavities within a truck and car, with preliminary investigation indicating alleged cross-border smuggling into Mizoram. Methamphetamine is a notified psychotropic substance, and illicit manufacture, possession, transportation and trafficking attract stringent penal consequences.
IPO disclosure integrity triggers one-year market access bar for issuer and promoter-directors over fabricated quotation and misleading financial disclosures. SEBI restrained Trafiksol ITS Technologies Ltd. and its promoter-directors from accessing or dealing in the securities market for one year and imposed monetary penalties over irregularities in its SME IPO. The action concerned overstated financial disclosures, inadequate disclosure of issue expenditure and a potential merchant-banker conflict, and proposed use of IPO proceeds based on a fabricated software-vendor quotation. The listing was deferred and IPO proceeds were placed in an interest-bearing escrow account. One promoter was directly involved in procuring the quotation, while the other failed to exercise due diligence.
Securities market fraud involving fictitious transactions triggered market bans, disgorgement, fund restoration, and governance restrictions. SEBI imposed securities-market restrictions, disgorgement directions and monetary penalties in relation to alleged accounting fraud involving fictitious sales, purchases, circular transactions and fraudulent ledger entries. The alleged inflation of financial results facilitated migration to the NSE main board and was followed by fraudulent preferential allotments, a bonus issue and a rights issue. Rights issue proceeds were found to have been diverted, requiring restoration with applicable interest. The company and its managing director received seven-year market prohibitions, with additional governance restrictions applying to the managing director.
Insolvency debt settlements: political criticism alleges severe creditor haircuts favour influential corporate borrowers over ordinary debtors. CPI(M) criticised approval of a repayment plan involving Zee Group founder Subhash Chandra, asserting that repayment of Rs 6.5 crore against creditor claims of Rs 22,006.57 crore undermines fairness in insolvency debt settlement. It alleged severe creditor haircuts and bias favouring influential corporate borrowers. The party linked the settlement to an alleged pattern of large borrowers resolving liabilities at steep discounts, shifting the burden to taxpayers and small depositors while smaller borrowers face coercive recovery measures.
Corporate governance requires company secretaries to promote ethical practices, transparency, responsibility and institutional accountability across economic ecosystems. Good corporate governance is central to development and depends on responsible governance, ethical practices, transparency, institutional accountability and professional excellence. Company Secretaries have an expanding role in strengthening governance practices through professional expertise. Professional institutions should promote governance standards, support institutional excellence, and evolve their practices in response to changing requirements. Their wider contribution lies in fostering a culture of ethical entrepreneurship, responsibility, transparency and sound governance.
Proceeds-of-crime tracing prompts freezing of deposits linked to structured disposal of foreign property in a bank-loan fraud investigation. Money-laundering investigation into alleged bank-loan fraud involving DHFL has resulted in the freezing of bank deposits held by Al Jalore Trading FZE under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. A United Kingdom property was allegedly disposed of through a purported loan arrangement that created an encumbrance to settle an Indian liability. Sale proceeds were credited to Al Jalore Trading FZE's Indian bank account rather than to the registered owner, indicating alleged dissipation of proceeds of crime through a structured foreign-property transaction.
Defence export authorisation reform streamlines consultations, expands unified licences, and facilitates eligible exporters' access to international markets. Open General Export Licence arrangements permit eligible exporters to self-generate authorisations for multiple consignments of specified defence items without obtaining separate authorisation for each consignment. Three existing licence procedures are consolidated into a unified framework. Licence validity is extended to three years, and territorial coverage is expanded to all countries other than negative or sensitive nations and destinations subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions or arms embargoes. Eligible companies with long-term foreign original equipment manufacturer agreements may obtain licences aligned with the underlying contract, subject to prescribed conditions.
IPO approval enables Jio Platforms to issue fresh equity shares, with proceeds earmarked for subsidiary debt repayment and corporate purposes. SEBI's final observations enable Jio Platforms Ltd to proceed with an initial public offering comprising up to 27 crore newly issued equity shares. The transaction is structured as a fresh issue of shares. Offer proceeds are primarily allocated towards repayment or prepayment of outstanding borrowings of Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, Jio Platforms' material subsidiary, with the balance designated for general corporate purposes.
Gold price volatility intensified as dollar strength, profit-booking, and customs-duty-cut reports pressured domestic bullion markets. Domestic bullion prices declined for a third consecutive session as a stronger US dollar and sustained profit-booking after a recent rally weakened gold and silver. Gold fell sharply in the national capital and silver also declined in domestic trading, with the three-day movement reflecting ongoing price volatility in the bullion market. International spot gold remained marginally lower while investors awaited policy-related remarks concerning inflation and elevated yields.
Direct benefit transfer strengthens welfare delivery through Jan Dhan accounts, digital payments, reduced intermediaries, and expanded financial inclusion. Direct Benefit Transfer has transferred welfare benefits directly to beneficiaries, largely through Jan Dhan accounts, reducing intermediaries and supporting transparent delivery. The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana provides unbanked adults basic accounts without minimum-balance or maintenance-charge requirements, along with RuPay debit cards, accident insurance coverage, and emergency overdraft access. Banking outlets, digital-payment infrastructure, and Bank Mitras extend formal financial services to women, rural and semi-urban communities, strengthening financial inclusion and participation in the formal economy.
Foreign exchange reserves reached a record level, supported by increases in foreign currency assets and gold holdings. India's foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 12.422 billion to an all-time high of USD 729.328 billion for the week ended 21 August. Foreign currency assets and gold reserves recorded the principal increases, while special drawing rights and the reserve position with the IMF also rose. Foreign currency asset valuation reflects movements in non-US currencies held in the reserves. FCNR(B) and concessional swap arrangements were introduced to attract additional foreign-exchange inflows.
IPO regulatory approval enables Jio Platforms to advance preparations for its proposed fresh equity share public offering. Jio Platforms Ltd. has obtained Sebi's final observations for its proposed initial public offering. This key regulatory stage enables further preparations for the public issue, subject to applicable regulatory requirements. The proposed offering comprises up to 27 crore fresh equity shares and is expected to account for approximately 2.9 per cent of the company's post-issue equity base.
In terms of the SEZ Act, 2005 a SEZ may be set up either jointly or severally by the Central Government, State Govt. or any person for manufacture of goods or rendering services or for both or as a free trade warehousing zone. Such proposals duly recommended by the concerned State Government are considered by the Board of Approval for SEZs. In addition to seven Central Government Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and 12 State/Private Sector SEZs set up prior to the enactment of SEZ Act, 2005, formal approval has been accorded to 578 proposals out of which 367 SEZs have been notified. A total of 122 SEZs are already exporting.
Setting of SEZ unit and its functioning is regulated as per the provisions of SEZ Act 2005 and rules framed thereunder. The Approval Committees under the Development Commissioners constituted for each Zone, which comprise representatives from Customs, Income-tax, State Governments etc. have been directed to monitor the performance of the SEZ Units. This includes scrutiny of Annual Performance Report (APR), Quarterly Performance Report (QPR) and details of rent recovery. Failure to meet the requirements of the scheme or any violation attracts action under Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992.
This was stated by Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Special Economic Zones regulation requires approvals and monitoring under SEZ Act with enforcement under foreign trade law.
SEZs may be established by Central, State or private persons for manufacturing, services or warehousing; proposals recommended by State Governments are considered by the Board of Approval and, once formally approved, operate under the SEZ Act, 2005. Approval Committees under Development Commissioners, comprising customs, income tax and State representatives, monitor units through Annual and Quarterly Performance Reports and rent records; failures or violations attract action under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) regime.
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