Delhi riots bail applications and customs duty on SEZ-generated power addressed, court distinguished participation and revisited duty liability.
The Supreme Court distinguished levels of alleged involvement in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy, describing a hierarchy of participation and finding prosecution material indicating planning, mobilisation and strategic direction by certain activists. Separately, the Court revisited the legal characterisation of customs duty on electrical energy generated in a special economic zone and supplied to the domestic tariff area, departing from prior high court analysis and affecting the approach to customs liability for such SEZ-DTA supplies.

Artificial intelligence and deep tech policy discussions stressed cooperative federalism, policy certainty and inclusive AI deployment for grassroots impact.
Summit discussions emphasised cooperative federalism and policy certainty to drive digital transformation, with state leaders outlining reforms to improve ease of doing business and attract long term capital. Panels focused on governance and implementation of AI and deep tech-advocating cautious promotion to reach grassroots areas, expanding AI skills for youth, and fostering deep tech collaboration-while highlighting targeted institutional support and credit access to formalise and scale women led entrepreneurship.

ED searches a Delhi NCR climate NGO under FEMA over alleged misuse of foreign funds purportedly labelled as consultancy fees.
Authorities conducted searches at a Delhi NCR climate NGO's office, an associated business store and two residences under FEMA to investigate the end use of foreign exchange received as consultancy charges from offshore NGOs and other groups, amid allegations those funds were used to influence government policy rather than the declared purposes.

VB-G RAM G Act increases rural employment guarantee to 125 days and requires wages within seven days with delay compensation.
The VB-G RAM G Act increases the statutory wage employment guarantee to 125 days per financial year, requires wages to be paid within seven days with compensation for delays, allows up to 60 days suspension of work for sowing and harvesting to protect agricultural labour availability, and prioritises works in water security, rural infrastructure, disaster resilience and livelihood enhancement while instituting transparency measures to prevent misuse and ensure benefits reach genuine workers.

Mamata Banerjee to challenge electoral roll revision in court over alleged arbitrary deletions and human suffering.
Mamata Banerjee will legally challenge the Election Commission's Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls, alleging administrative arbitrariness, opaque digital processes and use of artificial intelligence that led to widespread deletions, inadequate opportunity to respond, disregard for government-issued documents, coercive hearings of vulnerable persons, and resultant human suffering; she seeks judicial relief, including permission to approach the Supreme Court as an ordinary citizen, challenging the SIR's procedural implementation, compressed timetable, and evidentiary treatment of documentation.

Skill development centres in Uttar Mumbai to provide free future-focused training, placement support and create over 35,000 jobs.
Establishment of six skill development centres across Uttar Mumbai, with one centre already functional in Kandivali East and others planned for Thakur Village and Shimpoli, offering industry-aligned, job-ready training, free instruction in future-focused skills, direct placement support, and career counselling, with an expected creation of over 35,000 jobs within 14 months.

Indian rupee weakens amid geopolitical uncertainty and capital outflows, closing at 90.30 per dollar on Monday.
Indian currency declined to 90.30 against the US dollar after four straight sessions of weakness, driven by increased safe haven dollar demand from geopolitical risk, foreign capital outflows that pressured domestic equities, and technical levels with resistance near 90.45 and support around 89.90, while RBI data showed a concurrent rise in forex reserves.

China and South Korea pledge deeper trade ties and joint efforts to safeguard regional stability amid missile tests.
China and South Korea pledged to strengthen economic ties and safeguard regional stability, committing to enhanced trade and cooperation while seeking to minimise past misunderstandings. The visit occurred amid North Korea's ballistic and hypersonic missile tests and rising China-neighbour frictions, and the leaders oversaw the signing of 15 cooperation agreements in technology, trade, transportation and environmental protection alongside business accords in consumer goods, agriculture, biotechnology and entertainment.

India's Russian oil purchases prompt US tariff threats; India unveils e-Business visa; regional public-order and criminal charges advance.
US statements and a senator's account indicate potential tariff action tied to India's purchases of Russian oil and diplomatic requests to seek tariff relief. India has launched an electronic e-Business visa (e-B-4) for Chinese business activities. Regional legal measures include lifting travel restrictions on a former Nepalese prime minister, imposition of prohibitory orders in Birgunj for public-order reasons, scheduled sedition charge framing in Bangladesh, and a pending final chargesheet in a high-profile murder case.

Customs duty on electrical energy from SEZ to DTA held unlawful; refunds ordered for the specified period.
Levy of customs duty on electrical energy cleared from an SEZ to the DTA was declared without authority of law for the relevant period; administrative authorities must conform to prior judicial declarations and may not reenact an invalidated levy. The Centre and customs authorities are directed, after verification, to refund amounts deposited or encashed towards that duty for the specified period and to refrain from enforcing further demands for that period.

Universal Music's 30% stake in Excel signals global confidence in India's creative economy and Mumbai's media hub role.
Universal Music Group's purchase of a 30% equity stake in Excel Entertainment valuing the firm at Rs 2,400 crore is portrayed as a strategic foreign partnership affirming global confidence in India's creative economy and Mumbai's emergence as a media and entertainment hub. The deal is attributed to investor preferences for talent, policy stability, respect for intellectual property, speed of execution, and a complete ecosystem, with the state government credited for enabling investment through policies, infrastructure, ease of doing business, skill development, and IP support.

India's Russian oil purchases tied to US tariff actions and proposed punitive levies as pressure to reduce Russian energy revenue.
United States officials publicly linked tariff policy and legislative proposals to India's purchases of Russian crude, asserting that increased duties could be rapidly imposed and describing an existing 50 percent tariff with a 25 percent component attributed to Russian oil purchases. The statements presented tariff imposition and proposed punitive levies as instruments of broader sanctions related trade pressure to reduce Russia's energy revenue, noted continued purchases by Indian refiners through non sanctioned channels, and referenced recent declines in Russian shipments to India.

UK introduces powers to seize migrants' phones and SIMs and criminalise facilitation of illegal migration to disrupt smuggling networks.
Law enforcement may seize mobile phones and SIM cards from migrants arriving illegally without arrest, download material from devices, require removal of outer garments and conduct searches inside the mouth for hidden SIMs to gather intelligence on people smuggling networks. New offences criminalise moving, storing or supplying items used to bring migrants and researching or downloading information to facilitate illegal migration, with penalties including up to 14 years for transport supply and up to five years for facilitation or vehicle compartment modification.

Municipal budget process emphasizes people-centric spending, financial discipline, environmental protection, and revenue from municipal assets.
The Standing Committee reviewed Revised and forthcoming Budget Estimates, prioritising core civic services, financial discipline, environmental protection and revenue mobilisation. Councillors proposed strengthening sanitation, infrastructure, health and education, and optimising municipal assets; the Chairperson committed to incorporating members' inputs. The budget was framed as a policy document focused on public welfare and effective use of limited resources while ensuring no additional financial burden on citizens through a participatory, inclusive process.

Illegal constructions on forest land: state must file a detailed report, site plan, and halt alienation and new construction.
The Supreme Court ordered the Uttarakhand government to file a comprehensive affidavit, including a site plan, disclosing approximate details and nature of alleged illegal constructions on notified forest land, directed an enquiry committee be constituted to investigate possible collusion by state authorities, prohibited alienation or new construction on the affected land, and instructed the Forest Department and district collectors to take possession of vacant land pending a compliance report.

Gold and silver rally on safe-haven demand amid geopolitical tensions and supply-policy shifts and investment flows.
Gold prices rose sharply on heightened geopolitical tensions and safe-haven demand, mirroring international spot gains tied to recent US actions; silver's rally reflected safe-haven and industrial demand plus supply constraints from higher margin requirements and export restrictions and was reinforced by silver's designation as a critical mineral encouraging policy-backed investment.

Karnataka Chief Minister warns central funding changes to rural employment scheme impose large state fiscal burdens and violate right to livelihood.
The Chief Minister alleged that central changes replacing the previous MGNREGA framework with a VB-G-RAM-G scheme shift 40% funding responsibility to the state, producing an annual shortfall of Rs 12,000-15,000 crore and an added Rs 3,000 crore matching burden; he characterised removal of the 100-days employment entitlement as unconstitutional and harmful to the poor.

Telecom operators face Rs150cr penalty for failing to act on spam, after tightened complaint-trigger and labeling rules.
Operators are financially penalised for failing to act on the telecom resources of spammers when complaint audits show wrong closure of customer complaints; the regulator imposed a consolidated Rs 150 crore disincentive, enforces complaint-driven measures ranging from suspension to disconnection and blacklisting, and has tightened complaint mechanisms and thresholds to trigger action.

US tariffs on India can be raised quickly over India's purchases of Russian oil, warns US president.
Statements assert use of tariffs to influence India's purchases of Russian oil, noting a senator's bill proposing 500 percent levies on imports from countries buying Russian oil and reference to an existing 25 percent tariff applied to India; tariffs are presented as tools of trade pressure tied to foreign policy objectives concerning the Russia Ukraine conflict.

Hotel accommodation specified premises can be opted in online via Annexure VII/VIII under prescribed timelines and conditions.
The advisory creates an electronic filing process on the GST Portal for hotel accommodation suppliers to declare premises as specified premises via Annexure VII (existing registrants for a succeeding financial year) and Annexure VIII (new registration applicants within 15 days of ARN). The facility excludes composition, TDS/TCS, SEZ, casual and cancelled taxpayers but allows suspended taxpayers. Filing mechanics, a 10 premise per declaration limit, ARN/reference number generation, download facility, and continued opt in effect until an opt out (Annexure IX) are set out.