Public interest litigation seeking court-monitored investigation and recovery of alleged GST and income-tax evasion by private entities is not maintainable where competent statutory authorities are already conducting enquiries. Tax liability, alleged evasion, quantum and recovery require examination of commercial records within the statutory framework. Confidentiality of tax investigations does not entitle a petitioner to disclosure of investigative progress or judicial supervision. A substantially similar petition previously rejected for lack of standing cannot be revived merely by recasting it as a PIL. PIL jurisdiction requires a genuine public injury and demonstrable failure of statutory duty or mala fides, neither of which was established.

GST registration cancelled for continuous non-filing of returns may be considered for restoration where the registered person furnishes all pending returns and pays outstanding tax, applicable interest and late fee. Section 29(2)(c) permits cancellation for continuous return defaults, while the proviso to Rule 22(4) allows the empowered officer to drop cancellation proceedings through the prescribed order after full compliance. Because cancellation carries serious civil consequences, the statutory restoration mechanism remains available for the authority's consideration once these conditions are met.

Statutory appeals filed beyond the ordinary limitation period but within the condonable period under the Odisha Goods and Services Tax Act may be entertained where sufficient cause for delay exists. Medical circumstances asserted as the reason for delay, when not refuted by departmental material, warrant an opportunity to submit an explanation and be heard. Rejection solely because the appellant did not respond to a notice seeking an explanation for delay was set aside, and the appellant became entitled to place the delay explanation before the appellate authority.

Cash refund under Section 142(3) of the CGST Act for service tax paid under reverse charge after the GST transition remains disputed where equivalent cash refund or re-credit was unavailable under the erstwhile Cenvat Credit Rules. Divergent Tribunal views concern whether Section 142(3) only preserves refunds already admissible under the existing law or permits cash refund for eligible but untransitionable or unusable credit. Cenvat credit is conditional rather than automatic upon tax payment, and the erstwhile rules allowed cash refunds only in limited circumstances. The scope of Section 142(3) and any asserted vested right to credit require Larger Bench consideration.

Statutory appellate remedies should ordinarily be pursued before invoking writ jurisdiction against confiscation and penalty orders. Where adjudication orders are appealable, refusal to exercise writ jurisdiction involves no error of law absent grounds warranting departure from that remedy. The challenge to refusal of writ relief therefore fails, while the affected parties may file statutory appeals within the stipulated period; the appellate authority must consider them without raising a limitation objection.

Penalty for delayed filing of the return was not sustainable where the return was filed within the prescribed period and the minor stated delay resulted from unavoidable circumstances. The explanation established reasonable cause, and the record did not justify its rejection. The penalty was therefore deleted in favour of the assessee.

Cash payments claimed as labour and wage expenditure were disallowed because internal cash vouchers alone did not substantiate payments to individual labourers. No labour registers, attendance records, verifiable worker identification, or other supporting evidence established the genuineness of the expenditure or that payments were separately made to individual workers. The cash-payment disallowance was therefore sustained.

An alleged cash payment for property purchase cannot be treated as unexplained investment solely on Investigation Wing information without supporting documents or an identified third-party statement. Banking records and confirmation established that the only transaction with the developer was a refundable security deposit paid by cheque for a proposed tenancy in a later financial year. The existence of premises linked to the developer did not prove cash payment in the relevant year. The unexplained-investment addition was therefore deleted.

Income from a deceased person's estate, assessed in the hands of executors under section 168(1), is taxable at normal slab rates rather than the maximum marginal rate. Executors may be treated as an association of persons for statistical purposes, but that classification does not alter the applicable rate of tax for estate income. The estate consequently receives assessment at normal slab rates instead of the rate applicable to an association of persons taxed at the maximum marginal rate.

Section 50C(1)'s 10% safe harbour applies retrospectively as a curative measure to prevent hardship in genuine transactions. Where the difference between actual purchase consideration and the value determined by the Departmental Valuation Officer is within that threshold, the DVO value replaces the stamp duty value for applying the safe harbour. A valuation difference of 7.40% therefore does not support an addition under section 56(2)(vii), and the addition is unsustainable.

National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 proposes to broaden the Corporation's mandate to promote co-operative development. It would permit direct loans and grants to co-operative societies and other entities engaged in co-operative development, where funds are used for co-operative purposes. With Central Government approval, the Corporation could participate in the share capital of such entities. The proposals also expand the meaning of foodstuffs, remove geographical restrictions for industrial-goods assistance, and provide additional functional powers.

Allegations based on a Comptroller and Auditor General report identified purported GST compliance failures involving outstanding tax liabilities, e-way bills generated after cancellation of GST registrations, limited bill scrutiny, non-compliance, and turnover mismatches. The allegations also concerned electricity subsidies extended to consumers with prolonged zero bills or apparent non-residence, presenting these issues as possible financial irregularities and losses to the public exchequer.

Money-laundering prosecution complaints allege that funds from toll-road projects and credit facilities were diverted through group companies, contractors, shell entities and conduit accounts. In the toll-road matter, allegedly sham or back-dated subcontracting arrangements and subsequent documentation were used to portray transfers as genuine project expenditure. In the credit-facilities matter, fresh facilities were allegedly used to repay, rotate and evergreen earlier liabilities rather than for sanctioned end-use, with funds layered and presented as legitimate business expenditure or receipts. Attached assets are sought to be confiscated as alleged proceeds of crime.

Direct Benefit Transfer of social security and welfare pensions to Aadhaar-linked bank accounts is intended to replace cooperative-bank doorstep delivery, except for bedridden and similarly situated beneficiaries. The change addresses delays in remitting undistributed pensions, deficient record updates and reconciliation, duplicate payments, delivery incentives, and compliance with Direct Benefit Transfer norms. Criticism focuses on beneficiary access to linked commercial-bank accounts, possible minimum-balance deductions, exclusion of cooperative banks, and the effect on doorstep-delivery workers.

Section 44AD may be adopted where its eligibility conditions and turnover threshold are satisfied, notwithstanding tax audits in earlier years. Section 44AD eligibility and section 44AB audit liability are separate tests. If later turnover exceeds the presumptive-tax threshold, normal computation and audit may apply without that statutory exit itself attracting the five-year restriction. The restriction may apply where an otherwise eligible assessee declares profit below presumptive income. The corresponding provision under the Income-tax Act, 2025 retains this restriction.

Raymond Limited reported unaudited first-quarter FY27 growth in total income, EBITDA and profit before tax before exceptional items, while remaining net-debt-free with a net cash surplus. Its Engineering business comprises Precision Technology & Auto Components and Aerospace & Defence. Growth in the former was attributed to export expansion, operating leverage, product mix and cost reductions. Aerospace & Defence growth was linked to production for global OEMs, portfolio expansion and increased capacity, although margins were affected by targeted research and development investment. Forward-looking statements remain subject to regulatory, political, economic and technological risks.

Savings-account selection should compare effective interest returns under slab-based rates, recurring operating charges and the customer's actual banking needs. Net value depends not only on advertised rates but also on relevant minimum-balance, card, ATM, alert and transfer fees. Digital reliability, customer support, branch availability and ATM access should be assessed according to the customer's average balance, cash use, transfer frequency, travel patterns and need for in-person assistance. The suitable account is one that matches real banking behaviour.

A uniform, technology-driven procedure governs clearance of personal imported goods through Foreign Post Offices under the Postal Import Regulations, 2025. Postal authorities must electronically present article lists and goods on arrival; customs assessment is risk-based through the FPO Import Application and Risk Management System, with physical examination generally limited to selected or intelligence-based cases. Officers may issue specific consolidated electronic document-call letters and, after 30 days without an adequate response, assess using available records under the Customs Act. Clearance is issued electronically after assessment and customs formalities, and postal authorities must not deliver articles before clearance and duty payment or realisation. Commercial postal imports remain subject to the existing procedure.

Gateway Terminals India Pvt. Ltd. is appointed as custodian and Customs Cargo Service Provider for an additional land parcel incorporated into its existing Customs Area at Jawaharlal Nehru Port. The area may be used only for Customs-authorised receipt, stacking, storage and handling of EXIM cargo, subject to the port licence and compliance with the Customs Act and the Handling of Cargo in Customs Areas Regulations, 2009. The provider must maintain prescribed security, access controls, cargo-safety measures, boundary demarcation and infrastructure, and cannot alter the layout, boundaries or use without prior Customs approval. The approval takes immediate effect and remains valid only during the underlying land licence, unless earlier modified, withdrawn or cancelled.

DPIIT-recognized start-ups may create "Source from India" microsites on the Trade Connect ePlatform and receive a start-up badge where they satisfy the existing exporter eligibility criteria. A special exception also permits DPIIT-recognized start-ups that do not meet those criteria to register if they hold an active IEC and are not listed in the DEL. Eligibility and onboarding are verified through DGFT IEC and eBRC database records, with eBRC data serving as the reference for export-realisation eligibility. Users linked to eligible or specially excepted IECs will receive the microsite-creation option on their dashboard; approved profiles become publicly visible to international buyers.