GST treatment for Motor Vehicle Accident Fund insurance services clarified, with nil tax on insurer contributions from third party premiums.
The notification amends the principal Kerala SGST schedule by replacing "transmission and distribution" with "transmission or distribution", inserting a new exempt entry for insurance services provided by the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund funded by insurers' contributions from third party motor insurance premiums (nil tax), and adding a training partner approved by the National Skill Development Corporation as an exempt recipient. It omits item (w) in paragraph 2 and adds a definition equating "insurer" with its meaning under the Insurance Act, 1938. The notification is effective from 16th January, 2025.

Specified premises designation for hotel accommodation: standardized opt in/opt out declarations determine GST treatment for premises.
The amendment substitutes the definition of specified premises, qualifying a premises as specified where prior year hotel accommodation supply exceeded the stated per unit threshold, or where a registered supplier or registration applicant files an opt in declaration within prescribed periods; it adds Annexures VII-IX prescribing opt in and opt out declaration forms, requires separate filings per premises, and sets filing windows and post registration timelines for the declarations.

SGST amendment expands covered supplies to include food inputs linked to fortified rice premix, effective retroactively.
The Government amends the Table in G.O.(P) No.156/2017/TAXES by inserting "(c) food inputs for (a) above" after the entry for "(b) Fortified Rice Kernel (Premix) supply for ICDS or similar scheme duly approved by the Central Government or any State Government," effective retrospectively from 16 January 2025.

Gene therapy classification added to GST schedule; revised definition of pre-packaged and labelled commodities affects compliance obligations.
Amendment inserts Gene Therapy into the notification Schedule as a new entry and replaces the Explanation's clause (ii) with a definition of "pre-packaged and labelled" commodities intended for retail sale in packages not exceeding 25 kg or 25 litres, pre-packed as per the Legal Metrology Act where the package or label must bear required declarations; the notification is effective from 16th January, 2025.

GST amendment: Fortified Rice Kernel explicitly classified and packaging definition for retail commodities clarified under legal metrology.
The amendment adds Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) as a distinct entry in the GST schedule and appends FRK to an existing cereal description, thereby explicitly classifying FRK for GST purposes; it also substitutes the Explanation to define "pre-packaged and labelled" as retail packages not exceeding 25 kg or 25 litres that must bear the declarations required under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and rules.

Technical Member qualification relaxation enables gazetted officers meeting government-service requirements to serve on GST appellate tribunal benches.
Eligibility for appointment as Technical Member (State) to the State Benches of the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal in Goa is relaxed for officers of the Government of Goa. For ten years from publication, eligibility requires at least twenty-five years of government service as a Gazetted Officer, replacing the Group A or equivalent service requirement. All remaining appointment conditions continue to apply.

Specified premises definition clarified to align with notification clause, altering GST rate notification application from next fiscal year.
The notification substitutes Explanation item (c) in Notification No. 17/2017-State Tax (Rate) so that "specified premises" shall have the meaning assigned in clause (xxxvi) of paragraph 4 of Notification No. 11/2017-State Tax (Rate), effective from 1 April 2025, under the authority of the Himachal Pradesh Goods and Services Tax Act.

Amendment to GST rate notification: exclusions added for body corporates and composition taxpayers from specified entries.
The notification amends the Table of the State tax rate notification to exclude bodies corporate from the class described as "Any person" at serial number 4, column (3), and to exclude persons who have opted for the composition levy from the class described as "Any registered person" at serial number 5AB, column (4); changes are made under the State GST statutory authority to narrow the scope of those entries.

State GST amendment revises tariff wording, adds nil rate cover for Motor Vehicle Accident Fund insurance, and defines insurer.
The amendment modifies the State GST rate schedule by substituting "transmission or distribution" for "transmission and distribution" in a tariff entry, inserting a nil rate entry for insurance services provided by the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund funded by insurers' contributions from third party motor insurance premiums, and adding a training partner approved by the National Skill Development Corporation to an exemption list. It omits a listed item effective from the first day of April next year and inserts a statutory definition of "insurer" consistent with the Insurance Act.

Specified premises designation for hotel accommodation: opt in and opt out declarations determine GST classification and compliance.
Amendment redefines specified premises for a financial year by three criteria: prior year hotel accommodation supply exceeding a per unit per day value threshold; a declaration filed by a registered supplier during the pre financial year window; or a declaration filed by an applicant for registration within fifteen days of registration acknowledgement. It inserts Annexures VII-IX prescribing opt in and opt out declaration formats, requiring separate filings per premises, specifying the applicable filing windows and that declarations apply to the entire financial year and subsequent years unless changed.

GST rate increase: specified state tax entry's rate raised, altering taxable treatment and effective mid-January under state amendment.
The notification amends Notification No. 8/2018-State Tax (Rate) by substituting the entry in the Table at S. No. 4, column (4) with a higher rate; the amendment is made under section 11(1) of the State GST Act on GST Council recommendations and is deemed effective from 16 January 2025.

GST exemption extension includes food inputs for fortified rice kernel supplies under government nutrition schemes.
The notification inserts "(c) food inputs for (a) above" into the Table entry for supplies of Fortified Rice Kernel (Premix) for ICDS or similar government-approved schemes, thereby extending the notification's coverage to include food inputs tied to those supplies under the State GST framework.

Gene therapy classification added; revised 'pre-packaged and labelled' definition narrows retail packaging compliance and obligations.
The notification amends the State GST rate Schedule by inserting S. No. 105A for Gene Therapy and substitutes the Explanation to define 'pre-packaged and labelled' as commodities intended for retail sale, containing not more than twenty-five kilograms or twenty-five litres, that are 'prepacked' under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 and whose package or label must bear the declarations required by that Act; the notification is deemed to be effective from an earlier specified date.

Fortified Rice Kernel tax classification updated, adding FRK to specified GST rate lists and clarifying pre-packaging rules.
The notification adds Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) as a tariff entry in the state GST rate schedules-identifying FRK under the lower rate list and alongside items in the mid-rate list-and replaces the Explanation's clause to define 'pre-packaged and labelled' as retail commodities in prepacked containers within the retail packaging threshold that must bear Legal Metrology Act declarations.

Certification requirement for research analysts mandates NISM research analyst initial and renewal exams to maintain compliance.
SEBI mandates that individuals and officers engaged in providing research services-including registered research analysts, principal officers of non-individual research analysts, employed research analysts, associated persons providing research services, and partners of partnership-firm research analysts-must pass the NISM-Series-XV: Research Analyst Certification Examination and, before current certification expires, pass the NISM-Series-XV-B: Research Analyst Certification (Renewal) Examination to maintain compliance.

Employee remuneration investment requirement mandates AMCs to invest part of staff pay in mutual fund units, increasing alignment.
The asset management company must invest a Board specified percentage of designated employees' remuneration in mutual fund units; must conduct Board specified stress testing of schemes and disclose results in the prescribed form and manner; must deploy new fund offer proceeds within a Board specified timeframe; and may pay distribution charges, commissions or fees in the manner specified by the Board.

GST exemption amendment expands electricity and insurance entries, adds NSDC training partners, and updates the definition of insurer.
The Uttar Pradesh GST notification is amended to substitute "transmission or distribution" for "transmission and distribution" in the electricity-related entry, insert a nil-rate entry for insurance services provided by the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund, and extend the relevant entry to a training partner approved by the National Skill Development Corporation. It also omits item (w) from 1 April 2025 and inserts a definition of "insurer" by reference to the Insurance Act, 1938.

Tariff value fixation updated for edible oils, brass scrap, areca nut, gold and silver, affecting customs valuation and assessment.
The notification substitutes revised tariff value tables in the principal non-tariff customs notification to prescribe tariff values in US dollar terms for specified imported goods, including edible oils, brass scrap, areca nut, and defined forms of gold and silver, with the substituted tables taking effect from a specified date in February 2025 for customs valuation and assessment purposes.

Commencement of GST amendment rules: selected provisions including rule 8, rule 37 and clause (ii) of rule 38 set to commence.
Appoints commencement dates for specified provisions of the Karnataka Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Rules, 2024. It lists Rules 2, 24, 27 and 32 in one group, and Rules 8, 37 and clause (ii) of Rule 38 in a second group; the notification fixes 1 April 2025 as the commencement date for Rules 8, 37 and clause (ii) of Rule 38.

Public consultation requirement in securities rulemaking secures stakeholder input and transparency while permitting expedited action in emergencies.
The Regulations require departmental publication of draft regulations with statutory basis, objectives and comment timelines, mandate a standard public consultation process with publication of compiled comments and departmental responses for Board consideration, and allow the Chairperson to dispense with or shorten consultation in exigent circumstances provided such action is reported to the Board.