Register of shareholders closure for dividend entitlement; transfers suspended to fix the record for payment purposes.
Closure of the Register of Shareholders to determine dividend entitlement for 2013-2014 with transfers suspended during the specified inclusive period, fixing the record for payment of dividend and preventing registration of share transfers for that interval.

Repayment period for securities set at a ten-year term with no moratorium and payments on a half yearly basis.
Amendment adds sub rule (12) to rule 9 prescribing that the period of repayment by the Centre and States shall be ten years with no moratorium and that payments on the securities shall be made on a half yearly basis.

Patent fees revised: physical filings attract 10% extra; new small entity definition requires Form 28 for fee concessions.
The amendments define "small entity" linked to MSME investment thresholds, require submission of Form 28 with fee bearing documents to claim small entity status, and insert Form 7A for oppositions. They replace the First and Fourth Schedules with revised, itemised fee tables distinguishing e filing and physical filing (physical filings attract a ten percent additional fee), separate rates for natural persons, persons other than natural persons, small entities and others, and require payment of any fee differential when ownership transfers from a small entity to a non small entity.

Amendment to Newsprint Control Order adds an indigenous newsprint mill to the Schedule, expanding authorised manufacturers list.
The Newsprint Control (Amendment) Order, 2014 amends the Schedule to the Newsprint Control Order, 2004 by adding entry No. 119: M/s. Venkatachalapathi Paper Mills Pvt. Ltd., Anna Nagar, East Chennai, thereby expanding the list of indigenous newsprint manufacturers; the Order takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette.

Newsprint control amendment adds an indigenous mill to the authorised manufacturers list upon Gazette publication.
The Central Government amends the Newsprint Control Order, 2004 by adding a new Schedule entry: S. No.118, M/s. Sri Vishnu Annaamalaiyar Paper Mills Ltd., Karaikudi, thereby recognising that mill as an indigenous newsprint manufacturer. The amendment, promulgated as the Newsprint Control (Amendment) Order, 2014 (S.O. 411(E)), is effective on publication in the Official Gazette and is issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

Extension of SEBI Chairman appointment continued for a limited tenure subject to age and further orders.
The Central Government, invoking Sub Section (1)(a) of Section 4 of the SEBI Act read with Rule 3 of the SEBI (Terms and Conditions of Service of Chairman and Members) Rules, 1992, extends Shri U. K. Sinha's appointment as Chairman of SEBI effective 18 February 2014. The extension is for two years, but will cease earlier if he attains sixty five years of age or if further orders are issued, whichever occurs first.

Critical information infrastructure protection receives national nodal agency status for the designated protection centre under information technology law.
National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre is designated as the national nodal agency for Critical Information Infrastructure Protection under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The designation assigns national-level nodal responsibility for the protection of critical information infrastructure to that Centre.

Appellate Procedure: Technical Adviser designated as Appellate Authority, with prescribed filing timelines and board revision mechanism.
These Rules designate the Technical Adviser as the Appellate Authority under the Boilers Act, require written appeals in Hindi or English presented personally or by registered/speed post with the relevant order or statement of facts, mandate prompt fixation of hearings with notice, permit ex parte decisions if appellant is absent, and make orders granting certificates subject to fees. Revision lies to a three member Appellate Board of technically qualified, conflict free members which considers records and technical advice and may specify terms for regulatory variations; fees and inspection costs are payable in advance.

Engagement of consultants on contract basis: retired central government officers eligible for full time consultant roles under prescribed terms.
Engagement of consultants on contract basis hires retired Central Government servants at Assistant level or above for full time consultancy, with duties equivalent to an Assistant. The scheme requires application on a prescribed proforma and formation of a panel. Terms include an initial one year tenure or until regular incumbents are available, specified working hours with exigency provisions, a limited non cumulative annual leave, government termination on short notice, and a consolidated monthly consultancy fee; administrative circulation and an annexed application form are provided.

Commencement of the Constitution (Ninety Eighth Amendment) Act: central government appoints its coming into force.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued S.O. 2902 (E) dated 24 September 2013, exercising the power under sub-section (2) of Section 1 of the Constitution (Ninety Eighth Amendment) Act, 2012, and appointed the 1st day of October, 2013 as the date on which the Act shall come into force.

Trademark fee revision increases prescribed application and form fees under amended Trade Marks Rules, affecting filings after publication.
Draft amendments to the Trade Marks Rules, 2002 substitute higher fee entries in the First Schedule and replace numeric fee entries in FORM TM-1, FORM TM-51, FORM TM-52 and FORM TM-63, changing the fees payable for specified trademark filings; the amendments take effect on final Gazette publication and the draft is open for public objections and suggestions during the prescribed consultation period.

Exemption from BIS marking allows domestic tyre manufacturers and OEMs to import tyres for benchmarking subject to records and undertakings.
Exemption from mandatory BIS marking is permitted for tyres imported by domestic tyre manufacturers and OEMs for benchmarking, homologation and calibration under Clause 3(d) of the Quality (Control) Order, 2009. The exemption is limited to a specified small quantity per tyre size and is conditional on eligibility as domestic manufacturers or OEMs, maintenance of proper records, and a written undertaking to customs that the imported tyres will be used exclusively for those technical purposes and not sold in the market.

Industrial infrastructure upgrade: state-led SIA implementation with central grant support and milestone-based approvals and monitoring.
Modified IIUS shifts implementation to a State Implementation Agency responsible for preparing DFRs, securing financial closure, procuring and operating infrastructure, and entering an MOU and bond with Government of India. Central assistance is a one-time grant-in-aid confined to durable, productivity-enhancing assets up to a capped share of project cost, disallowing land and recurring expenditures. Projects undergo two-stage appraisal and three-installment, milestone-linked release, with concurrent monitoring, procurement compliance, asset registers and recall provisions for misuse.

Safety distance exemption applies to existing ammonium nitrate storage within approved licensed premises under explosives and gas cylinder rules.
The amendment substitutes the one-year period in the proviso to rule five with a longer prescribed period and inserts a sub-rule in rule twelve stating that the safety-distance requirements do not apply to ammonium nitrate storage premises existing on the date of publication when such premises are within approved licensed premises under the explosives licensing and gas cylinder regulatory frameworks; the rules take effect on final Gazette publication.

Commencement of Trade Marks Amendment Rules: all provisions to come into force on 8 July 2013.
The Central Government, exercising powers under the Trade Marks Act and the Trade Marks (Amendment) Act, appoints a specific date as the day on which all provisions of the Trade Marks (Amendment) Rules shall come into force, thereby effecting the regulatory commencement of the amended rules; the notification supplies the official file reference and bears the signature of the authorized departmental official.

Revision of user fees: Schedule IV fees will be set by the latest User Fee Notice, subject to public comment.
The draft substitutes Schedule IV, Part 2 fee listings in the Explosives Rules, 2008 with a provision that fees "shall be as stipulated vide" the latest User Fee Notice (Explosives), naming the amendment the Explosives (Amendments) Rules, 2013 and providing that they commence on final Gazette publication.

Licensing committee composition revised to specify ministerial members and nominees, clarifying membership and secretariat roles for industrial licensing.
Amendment revises the Licensing Committee composition by substituting the prior entries: Chairperson is Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (or nominee); members include the concerned Administrative Ministry Secretary (or nominee), Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs (or nominee), Director General of Foreign Trade (or nominee), Development Commissioner (Small Scale Industries) (or nominee), the State Industries Secretary/Commissioner, and the Joint Secretary, Secretariat for Industrial Assistance as Member-Secretary.

Delegation of powers to Joint Secretary for explosives matters, with Central Government retaining revocation authority.
The Central Government delegates its appellate and sanctioning powers under the Explosives Act and Rules to the Joint Secretary (Explosives Division), authorising that officer to hear appeals concerning refusal, non-renewal, suspension, revocation or variation of licences and certificates and to grant prior sanction for import or export by land, including imposing conditions in consultation with the Chief Controller of Explosives; the delegation is revocable and the Central Government may itself exercise the powers where it deems necessary in the public interest.

Reconstitution of High Level Committee for National Manufacturing Policy to oversee NIMZ approvals and implementation.
Central Government reconstitutes a High Level Committee (HLC) subsuming the Board of Approval to implement the National Manufacturing Policy. The HLC, chaired by the Secretary, DIPP, comprises specified central secretaries or nominees, two industry experts, the Chief Controller of Accounts (DIPP) and a Joint Secretary as Member Secretary; nominees must be at least Joint Secretary rank. The HLC may invite State Governments and co-opt experts. Its Terms of Reference include monitoring policy implementation, resolving inter-ministerial issues, examining and recommending complete NIMZ applications to the Commerce & Industry Minister, approving SPV development strategies and self-regulation plans, considering design amendments during development, and monitoring approved NIMZs.

Postal rates amendment updates international parcel charges, altering first weight and subsequent weight tariffs and tax applicability.
The amendment to the Indian Post Office Rules replaces the entries in Schedules I and II for charges on the first 250 grams and for every additional 250 grams for specified international destinations, setting country specific postal tariffs and distinguishing certain regional variants. The notification is issued under statutory rulemaking authority, comes into force from the stated commencement date, and confirms that any government notified charges, surcharges, cesses or taxes shall also apply in addition to the revised postal rates.