Supreme Court sought case details from the Enforcement Directorate and Delhi Police to facilitate expeditious criminal prosecution of Unitech directors without causing inconvenience to homebuyers. Protection of purchasers and completion of stalled housing projects remain central concerns. Project revival measures include RERA registration exemption for specified projects to enable stalled homebuyer loan disbursals, scrutiny of loan accounts classified as non-performing, and authority for the Centre-appointed board to raise outstanding funds, sell inventory, and monetise unencumbered assets for completion of housing units.

GSTR-6 filing deadline for Input Service Distributors for December 2024 is extended until 15 January 2025 under the Goa Goods and Services Tax framework. The extension applies to the prescribed Input Service Distributor return and takes effect retrospectively from 10 January 2025.

Regulation 10A permits clarifications through guidance notes or circulars to remove difficulties in applying or interpreting the Finance Company Regulations. It also permits relaxation of strict enforcement of any regulatory requirement in the interest of financial-market development, subject to written reasons being recorded and payment of any specified fee.

The time limit for furnishing FORM GSTR-5 by non-resident taxable persons for the December 2024 tax period is extended until 15 January 2025. The Commissioner of State Taxes exercises delegated power to extend the filing deadline on the Council's recommendations, with reference to the corresponding central tax measure. The extended filing time is deemed effective from 10 January 2025.

Rule 160 requires specified reporting persons or entities receiving Form No. 97 declarations to file Form No. 98 electronically within prescribed reporting deadlines. Registration through the Reporting Portal generates an Income Tax Department Reporting Entity Identification Number, and the principal officer acts as Designated Director for verification. Statements must be digitally signed and uploaded using prescribed utilities. Defects identified through a Data Quality Report require correction statements, while inadvertently filed reports may be removed through deletion statements. Reporting persons or entities must maintain information-security, archival and retrieval policies.

RCMC or Certificate of Registration is not required, wherever otherwise mandated under the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023, for export consignments with a Free-on-Board value of up to Rs. 3 lakh. Export consignments exceeding that threshold continue to require a valid RCMC or Certificate of Registration wherever applicable. The exemption reduces the initial registration burden for MSMEs, artisans, small businesses, first-time exporters and occasional exporters undertaking eligible small-value exports, including through Postal, Courier, e-commerce and other emerging channels.

Intelligence-led narcotics enforcement led to the interception of four trucks in Assam and Tripura suspected of carrying methamphetamine tablets concealed in vehicle cabins. A total of 231.8 kg of suspected methamphetamine tablets, along with all four vehicles, was seized under the NDPS Act, and three persons were arrested. The action involved coordinated surveillance, interception and searches directed at an alleged drug-smuggling syndicate.

India's Authorised Economic Operator Programme promotes voluntary compliance, supply-chain security, risk-based customs administration and predictable cross-border movement of goods. Compliant trade and logistics entities may receive simplified customs procedures and risk-based facilitation. Proposed process reforms include uniform operating procedures, applicant checklists, single-deficiency processing, time-bound applications, clearer financial-solvency requirements, and strengthened client relationship and validation arrangements. Documentation under the Eligible Manufacturer Importer Scheme has been reduced, supporting lower compliance burdens and a pathway towards higher AEO tiers.

Registration is required where an entity intends to undertake permissible activities not covered by its existing registration or authorisation, while fresh registration is not required for the same already authorised permissible activity. Finance Companies and Finance Units must satisfy applicable establishment, home-regulator, and minimum owned-fund conditions. Core activities include lending, investment, derivatives, factoring, financial leasing, and treasury activities; non-core activities include merchant banking, advisory, portfolio management, operating leases, product distribution, and specified support services. Non-core-only entities may make liquidity and balance-sheet management investments without those investments becoming core activities.

Exchange-of-information requests to Swiss tax authorities could not extend the assessment limitation period where the India-Switzerland agreement's amended information-exchange provision applied only to fiscal years beginning on or after 1 April 2011. A request covering an earlier period was invalid to that extent because the amended provision did not permit obtaining information for the pre-1 April 2011 period. An invalid and futile reference could not trigger the extended period under Explanation ix to Section 153B; the assessment was therefore time-barred and quashed.

Alleged fraudulent procurement of a second passport arose after a passport had been surrendered in money-laundering-related proceedings. Authorities allege that the individual falsely reported the passport as lost and obtained another passport through false information, including an incorrect address in identity documentation and supporting records. The second passport was allegedly used for international travel. Criminal proceedings concern alleged forged documents, false representations and passport-related offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Passports Act.

Goa SGST extends the time limit for furnishing FORM GSTR-3B electronically through the common portal. The December 2024 monthly return deadline is extended to 22 January 2025. For October-December 2024 quarterly returns, registered persons are assigned filing deadlines of 24 January 2025 or 26 January 2025 according to their principal place of business in the specified States and Union territories. The extension is deemed effective from 10 January 2025.

Foreign-exchange market conditions resulted in the rupee weakening for a seventh consecutive session and closing lower against the US dollar. Dollar strength, foreign fund outflows, elevated crude oil prices, higher US Treasury yields and increased importer demand for dollars exerted pressure on the currency. Positive domestic equity-market performance limited the downside, while expectations of a US Federal Reserve interest-rate increase supported the dollar index.

Schedule VI requires insurance intermediaries seeking fresh or renewed registration to submit a complete application, prescribed fee, organisational and ownership disclosures, business plans, financial information, infrastructure details, personnel particulars and supporting records. Applicants must disclose disputes and economic offences, maintain an arm's-length financial relationship between intermediary activities, avoid inducement rebates, service run-off business when required, and submit eligibility and accuracy declarations. Fresh applications also require constitutional records, board authorisation, training compliance undertakings, infrastructure evidence and projected financial statements. Branch IIIO applicants must additionally demonstrate home-country compliance, branch strategy, internal controls and operational viability.

Insurance intermediary registration is evidenced by a certificate issued to a named entity for its specified intermediary category, with a registration number and defined validity period. The certificate is granted under the International Financial Services Centres Authority Act, 2019 and the Insurance Act, 1938, and remains subject to those enactments and the IFSCA (Insurance Intermediary) Regulations, 2021. Renewal requires a separate certificate identifying the entity, category, registration number, issue date and renewed validity period, subject to the same legal framework.

Insurance brokers must maintain yearly professional indemnity cover throughout registration for negligence, fraud-related liability, document loss, and employee dishonesty. Cover applies to all claims made during the insurance period irrespective of when the causative event occurred and cannot require prior payment by the broker. Indemnity limits are remuneration-linked and category-specific, while uninsured excess is capped by capital employed. Brokers must secure insurer certification, report cancellations, claims, and potential claims promptly, and notify the Authority when an insurer proposes to decline indemnity.

Insurance brokers must clarify their capacity and the services offered, obtain client mandates where required, perform KYC-related documentation, and recommend insurance suited to the prospective client's needs. They must not use agents or canvassers, make misleading or spurious calls, favour particular insurers, make unfair criticisms, or engage in money laundering. Brokers must explain premium arrangements, loss procedures, policy terms, exclusions, warranties, cancellation rights, insurer participation, and changes to cover; ensure that clients understand the duty of full and continuing disclosure; and provide prompt written confirmation and policy documentation.

Insurance brokers must provide client-focused broking services, maintain records, and may charge for risk-management services only for commercial risks under written client authority without receiving duplicate remuneration. Co-broking requires written client consent, defined responsibilities, agreed remuneration sharing and insurer disclosure; direct co-broking is prohibited for individual and retail insurance. Corporate agents must maintain policyholder-focused distribution arrangements and service policies. Surveyors must independently assess and report losses. Third party administrators may administer health claims and related services but cannot solicit insurance business, while hospital discounts must reach policyholders or claimants.

Minimum capital and net-worth thresholds apply to insurance intermediaries operating other than as branches in an IFSC. Direct insurance brokers require specified capital and net worth. Reinsurance and composite brokers must maintain prescribed capital and net worth equal to 60% of minimum capital. Corporate agents and third-party administrators have separate capital and net-worth thresholds, while surveyors and loss assessors have none. Branch-registered intermediaries have lower minimum capital requirements, with no separate net-worth requirements in this Part.

Repeal and saving provisions replace the specified IRDAI guidelines upon notification of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (Insurance Intermediary) Regulations, 2021 in the Official Gazette. Prior actions under those guidelines remain valid and are deemed to have been taken under corresponding regulatory provisions. An IIIO already operating in an IFSC must comply with additional requirements within six months of notification or any extended period specified by the Authority.