United Forum of Bank Unions has proposed nationwide strike action over delayed five-day banking, the performance-linked incentive framework, and unresolved pension demands. Five-day banking was agreed under the 12th Bipartite Settlement/9th Joint Note with extended Monday-to-Friday working hours, but remains pending for implementation. Unions challenge the incentive scheme for departing from a uniform, bank-performance-linked approach and for disproportionately benefiting senior officers. The dispute is under conciliation and pending before the Delhi High Court, while pension updation, a uniform dearness allowance formula, and an old pension scheme option remain unresolved.

Central excise exemption under Notification No. 06/2026-Central Excise is amended by substituting the entry in column (4) against serial number 1 with "Rs. 1.5 per litre". The amendment is made under section 5A of the Central Excise Act, 1944, read with section 147 of the Finance Act, 2002, and takes effect on publication in the Official Gazette.

Indian equity markets closed marginally lower as higher crude oil prices, US-Iran tensions, and expectations of prolonged tight United States monetary policy weakened risk appetite. The phased Closing Auction Session contributed to a late recovery in the benchmark index. Rising crude prices and global bond yields triggered broad-based selling across several domestic sectors, while foreign institutional equity sales and weakness in overseas markets added to pressure despite stronger-than-expected domestic economic growth.

Statutory canteen workers engaged through a contractor fall within the Factories Act definition of "worker" for that Act's purposes, but this status alone does not create an employer-employee relationship with the establishment. Absorption or regularisation depends on the actual employment arrangement, including control over appointment, wages, statutory contributions, records and discipline. Where the contractor retains these responsibilities, workers need not be continued when contractors change, and the establishment neither reimburses wages nor exercises appointment or disciplinary powers, the contractor is not merely the establishment's agent. The workers therefore have no entitlement to absorption or regularisation as regular employees of the establishment.

Post-GST central excise duty and NCCD on tobacco products, the constitutional validity of preserving the Central Excise Act through the CGST Act saving clause, and the alleged implied repeal of the relevant Finance Act provision were governed by earlier writ and appellate decisions that had attained finality. The requested declarations on those issues were not granted. Grounds against the order in original that were not covered by the earlier decisions remained available for consideration through the statutory appellate process.

Cash deposits during the demonetisation period were satisfactorily explained where they were covered by the recorded cash balance of a consistently disclosed money-lending business. The cash book reflected sufficient opening and available cash balances, and the deposit was recorded in the books of account. These contemporaneous accounting records supported the source of the deposit, resulting in deletion of the addition.

FORM GSTR-1A is introduced as an optional, no-late-fee facility for registered persons to furnish additional or amended outward-supply particulars for the current tax period after filing FORM GSTR-1 and before filing the corresponding FORM GSTR-3B. It covers prescribed invoice-level, consolidated, debit-note and credit-note details, but does not permit amendments involving a change in the recipient's GSTIN. Details in GSTR-1A feed into GSTR-3B and become available to recipients in the next open GSTR-2B. Consequential amendments incorporate GSTR-1A across outward-supply reporting, input tax credit eligibility and reversal, invoice furnishing, scrutiny, registration cancellation and export-refund processes.

Proper officers under the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 are designated from among Assistant Commissioners, Additional Assistant Commissioners and State Tax Officers for specified territorial and ward-wise local jurisdictions, subject to existing economic jurisdiction. The allocation covers SGST circles, municipal wards, commercial and industrial areas, tehsils, rural areas and districts across the listed divisions. Completed actions are ratified regarding local jurisdiction, while pending proceedings must continue from their existing stage under the revised territorial allocation.

GST appellate limitation under Section 107 requires an appeal within three months, with condonation available only for a further one month. This outer limit is mandatory and supports expeditious tax adjudication. Writ jurisdiction under Article 226 may be invoked in exceptional circumstances, including breaches of fundamental rights or natural justice, jurisdictional excess, or constitutional challenges, but cannot be used to bypass the statutory appellate framework after its limitation period expires. An unexplained delay of nearly three years, without grounds warranting judicial review, does not justify entertaining a writ petition or extending the statutory condonable period.

Statutory appellate limitation under the BGST Act forms part of the legislative scheme for prompt GST dispute resolution. Writ jurisdiction may be available exceptionally for fundamental-rights violations, breach of natural justice, jurisdictional excess or a vires challenge, but not routinely to revive an expired appellate remedy. The prescribed extension period for a GST appeal constrains the appellate authority, and Article 226 cannot be used to disregard that substantive limitation or condone delay beyond it. An unexplained prolonged delay in approaching the High Court after an appeal is rejected as time-barred undermines the limitation regime; a writ challenge in those circumstances is not maintainable.

Contract labour may be treated as direct employees only where the intermediary arrangement is proved to be sham, nominal or a camouflage for direct employment. Responsibility for wages, deployment, discipline and employment regulation resting with a workers' co-operative society supports a genuine contract; the principal employer's operational supervision constitutes secondary control and does not alone establish employment. Temporary casual engagement pending formation of the society does not create an accrued right to continued casual employment or trigger the statutory notice requirement for changing service conditions. Without a prohibition notification, absorption or regularisation is unavailable where the contract is genuine.

Gross and net GST revenue collections are identified as monthly GST reporting measures for August 2026. The scope distinguishes gross GST collections from net GST revenue collections, without collection amounts, computation methodology, adjustment details, statutory interpretation, compliance obligations, or adjudicatory determination. Reporting is confined to these two revenue collection measures.

AILBIEA's Silver Jubilee programme focuses on trade facilitation, customs modernisation, GST dispute preparedness and maritime-risk issues affecting liquid bulk trade. The Knowledge Conference includes sessions on the Authorised Economic Operator advantage, next-generation customs technology, GST Appellate Tribunal-era dispute preparedness, and geopolitical risks to sea-borne trade. It also marks the launch of AGS 360, integrating port information, vessel tracking, port-call estimates and maritime intelligence.

Personal-guarantee insolvency proceedings involve a stay on implementation of a repayment plan because the earlier members' views did not produce a clear majority capable of taking effect. The personal guarantor has been restrained from directly or indirectly alienating assets pending further hearing. The dispute follows split views on approval of the plan, claim admission and voting, followed by a third-member opinion that did not resolve the absence of a determinative majority. Creditors dispute the proposed recovery, claim treatment and declared net worth relevant to the guarantees.

Interest earned on permitted investments of funds held in a mandatory escrow account under concession and financing arrangements qualifies as income derived from an eligible infrastructure business for Section 80IA deduction. The escrow and investment sub-account were compulsory, funds were restricted in source and use, and the assessee lacked independent control over investments and disbursements. As the investments were incidental to fulfilling concession obligations, project payments and lender-protection requirements, rather than an independent profit-making activity, the necessary business nexus and commercial expediency were established. The interest therefore forms part of eligible business income for the deduction.

Recovery proceedings under Section 79 of the Chhattisgarh SGST Act, 2017, in matters falling within the Explanation to Section 75(12), are governed by Instruction No. 01/2022-GST with necessary modifications. The adapted framework applies to recovery action and the applicability of related statutory provisions, extending central GST recovery instructions to the Chhattisgarh SGST regime for uniform administration.

Foreign-exchange market conditions strengthened the rupee by 28 paise to 94.94 against the US dollar, supported by domestic growth, controlled fiscal slippage and portfolio inflows. Possible Reserve Bank of India intervention was also identified as supportive. Higher crude oil prices, weak domestic equities and hawkish US monetary-policy signals were identified as constraints on further appreciation. Foreign investment flows, stronger-than-expected domestic growth and the fiscal-deficit position remained material factors affecting currency conditions.

Section 14A read with Rule 8D does not permit disallowance of interest or administrative expenditure where no exempt income is earned or received during the relevant previous year. Since the provision applies to expenditure incurred in relation to income not forming part of total income, a Rule 8D computation lacks a basis in the absence of exempt income. The operative effect is that no Section 14A disallowance is permissible for that year.

GST treatment of restaurant services supplied through e-commerce operators is aligned under the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 with the corresponding Central Government clarification. The Commissioner of State Tax, exercising powers under section 168(1), applies Circular No. 167/23/2021-GST with necessary modifications to secure uniform application of GST provisions to these supplies within Chhattisgarh.

Clarifications on applicable GST rates and exemptions for certain services are made applicable under the Chhattisgarh Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. The measure adopts relevant Government of India clarifications and applies them, with necessary modifications, as though issued under the State GST law, to ensure uniformity in the application of GST provisions.