Rule change
60stories
September 2026
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Legal & DisputesTRAI amends spam-call regulations: AI-based detection, pre-declared A2P calls, a 7-day inquiry window and a consumer appeal
TCCCPR Third Amendment 2026Rule changeTRAI has introduced the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2026. Businesses using automated (A2P) calls must pre-declare them to their telecom provider; commercial messages on the basis of a customer’s inquiry are allowed only for seven days; and action against a sender can start at three complaints in ten days if its number is also flagged by AI.
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LabourEPF wage ceiling raised from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month with effect from 17 September 2026
₹25,000Rule changeThe Union Cabinet has approved a higher wage ceiling for mandatory EPFO coverage. Employees drawing between ₹15,000 and ₹25,000 a month become eligible for mandatory coverage.
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Foreign TradePre-Shipment Inspection Certificate to be issued within 2 days of inspection; one-time window for backlog PSICs: DGFT Trade Notices No. 28/2026-27 and 22/2026-27
PSIC within 2 daysRule changeDGFT’s Trade Notice No. 22/2026-27 of 25 August 2026 tightened the PSIA/PSIC module so that a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate could be generated only on the date of inspection. Trade Notice No. 28/2026-27 of 16 September 2026 relaxes this to 2 days from inspection and gives agencies a one-time seven-day window to clear backlog certificates.
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LicencesGold hallmarking: district list replaced; hallmarking fee fixed at ₹75 per gold article and ₹35 per silver article
₹75 per gold articleRule changeTwo notifications on hallmarking. The Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and Gold Artefacts (Third Amendment) Order, 2026 (S.O. 4345(E) of 3 August 2026) substitutes the Annexure of districts. The BIS (Hallmarking) Amendment Regulations, 2026 of 14 September 2026 substitute Schedule IV on hallmarking fees.
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FSSAIFood sample analysis: reports within 14 days, import samples within 5 days from 1 April 2027 — FSS (Laboratory and Sample Analysis) Amendment Regulations, 2026
Reports in 14 days; imports in 5Rule changeFSSAI has amended the Food Safety and Standards (Laboratory and Sample Analysis) Regulations, 2011. From 1 April 2027, the Food Analyst must issue a signed report within fourteen days of receiving a regulatory sample, the referral laboratory within fourteen days in appeal, and the notified or referral laboratory within five days for import samples. New regulations on the method of analysis are added, and Forms A and B are omitted.
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FEMA & RBIRBI cuts short the FCNR(B)/NRE deposit relief window to 31 August 2026: CRR-SLR exemption, interest-rate relaxation and priority-sector carve-out all end a month early
FCNR(B)/NRE window: 31 AugRule changeThe temporary reliefs on fresh FCNR(B) deposits of three to five years and NRE term deposits of three years or more were to run until 30 September 2026. On 25 August 2026 RBI moved the end date to 31 August 2026 for the CRR/SLR exemption and the interest-rate relaxation. On 11 September 2026 the priority-sector (ANBC) exclusion was aligned to the same date.
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FEMA & RBIBankers’ Books Evidence Act, 2026 in force from 1 October 2026; replaces the 1891 law
1 October 2026Rule changeThe new Act recognises bank records kept in electronic, digital and cloud-based form, standardises their certification, and requires a “special cause” in writing to summon bank officials.
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Legal & DisputesE-Commerce Rules amended: sponsored listings to be disclosed, “prior price” defined for discounts, yearly dark-pattern self-audit — in force from 1 January 2027
In force from 1 January 2027Rule changeThe Department of Consumer Affairs has amended the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 through the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) (Amendment) Rules, 2026. Every e-commerce entity must join the National Consumer Helpline convergence process. New duties cover complaints, search results, sponsored listings, price reductions, dark patterns and seller disclosures. The Rules come into force on 1 January 2027.
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LabourPF investment pattern amended: rupee bonds of IBRD, IFC, ADB and New Development Bank with at least three years’ outstanding maturity — S.O. 5009(E)
Rupee bonds: IBRD, IFC, ADB, NDBRule changeThe Labour Ministry has amended the investment pattern notified under section 17(3)(a) of the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952. In the debt category, clause (c) of Category (ii) now reads: rupee bonds with an outstanding maturity of at least three years issued by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance Corporation, Asian Development Bank and New Development Bank.
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FEMA & RBIElectronic trading platforms in the IFSC now need IFSCA registration: Electronic Trading Platforms Regulations, 2026 notified, net worth floor USD 200,000
ETP Operator: USD 200,000 net worthRule changeIFSCA has notified the IFSCA (Electronic Trading Platforms) Regulations, 2026. No person may operate an electronic trading platform in the IFSC without registration as an Electronic Trading Platform Operator. An operator must keep a net worth of at least USD 200,000 at all times, run real-time surveillance, publish its operating policy and keep platform data for at least eight years.
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FEMA & RBINatural-calamity relief: banks, NBFCs and AIFIs to file a half-yearly return on RBI’s CIMS portal within 30 days; monthly return for commercial banks discontinued
Half-yearly return on CIMSRule changeRBI has asked all regulated entities to report relief measures extended in areas affected by natural calamities through a half-yearly return on the CIMS portal. The return is due within 30 days of each half-year — by 30 October for the half-year ending 30 September and by 30 April for the half-year ending 31 March. The earlier monthly return for Scheduled Commercial Banks stands discontinued from 1 July 2026.
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FEMA & RBIUrban Co-operative Banks can now hold equity shares of Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC) to become members: RBI amends investment Directions
UCBs may hold IDPIC sharesRule changeRBI has amended its investment portfolio Directions for Urban Co-operative Banks so that they can acquire membership of the Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corporation (IDPIC), described as the nation’s central digital payment fraud intelligence platform. Paragraphs 101(5) and 107(1) of the 2025 Directions now mention equity shares of IDPIC. The change took effect on 2 September 2026.
August 2026
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FEMA & RBIIFSCA Fund Management Regulations amended again: “associate” set at a 20% test, pre-first-close money ring-fenced, differential distribution enabled
Associate = 20% holding testRule changeThe IFSCA (Fund Management) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026 redefine “associate” on a 20 per cent holding test, require money received before first close to be parked only in liquid, capital-preserving investments, let Venture Capital schemes make follow-on investments in companies older than ten years, enable senior and junior units, and reset NAV disclosure and FME contribution rules.
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LicencesLegal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026 notified: IST to be the common time reference; Rules take effect 180 days after Gazette publication
IST Rules: 180 days to alignRule changeThe Department of Consumer Affairs notified the Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026 on 27 August 2026. The Rules provide for Indian Standard Time as the common time reference across the country for legal, administrative, commercial and other official purposes, and come into force 180 days from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
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SEBINPS Point of Presence charges from 1 October 2026: ₹200 one-time onboarding per PRAN and 0.20% of AUM a year for all schemes and NPS Lite; dormant accounts not charged
PoP: ₹200 + 0.20% of AUMRule changePFRDA has revised what Points of Presence can charge for all schemes under NPS and NPS Lite from 1 October 2026: a one-time onboarding charge of ₹200 per PRAN, recovered at ₹50 a quarter, and an annual charge of 0.20% of AUM adjusted through NAV. Dormant accounts are not charged. Fully digital onboarding may attract a reduced ₹100 charge. GST is extra.
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SEBINPS schemes re-classified into five types: MSF schemes get A-to-E equity categories and uniform names, pension funds limited to two schemes per category per tier
NPS: 5 scheme types, MSF A–ERule changePFRDA has set a standardised framework for classifying and presenting NPS schemes and told pension funds how to implement it. Schemes fall into five types; MSF schemes are slotted into categories A to E by equity exposure and renamed on a fixed pattern. Pension funds had 30 days from 28 August 2026 to re-classify and rename, and have 45 days to merge down to two schemes per category per tier.
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LabourCode on Wages: bonus for employees drawing up to ₹21,000 a month, to be calculated on ₹7,000 or the Central minimum wage — S.O. 4711(E) and S.O. 4710(E)
Bonus: ₹21,000 limit, ₹7,000 baseRule changeTwo Labour Ministry notifications dated 25 August 2026 under section 26 of the Code on Wages, 2019 fix the bonus numbers: every employee drawing wages not exceeding ₹21,000 a month is to be paid bonus, and where the wage is above ₹7,000 a month the bonus is calculated as if the wage were ₹7,000 or the minimum wage fixed by the Central Government, whichever is higher. Both are deemed to have come into force on 21 November 2025.
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FEMA & RBIIFSCA notifies its own market-abuse code for the IFSC: insider trading and unfair trade practices barred; SEBI’s 2015 and 2003 regulations cease to apply there
Insider trades: disclose in 2 daysRule changeThe IFSCA (Prohibition of Market Abuse in Securities Markets) Regulations, 2026 bar insiders from communicating or trading on material non-public information and prohibit manipulative, fraudulent and unfair trade practices in the IFSC securities market. From their commencement, SEBI’s insider trading regulations of 2015 and PFUTP regulations of 2003 do not apply in the IFSC.
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FEMA & RBIInfrastructure Debt Fund-NBFCs under Upper Layer regulation to follow the large exposure limits of NBFC-IFCs: RBI amends concentration risk Directions
IDF-NBFC: IFC exposure limitsRule changeRBI has inserted paragraph 39A in its concentration risk Directions for NBFCs. The large exposure limits that apply to Infrastructure Finance Companies (NBFC-IFC) now also apply to Infrastructure Debt Fund-NBFCs (IDF-NBFC) that are subject to Upper Layer regulations. The amendment is dated 25 August 2026 and is in force with immediate effect.
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LicencesMedical Devices Rules, 2017: no separate loan licence for outsourced sterilisation; EU added for clinical-investigation waiver, says Health Ministry
No loan licence for sterilisationRule changeThe Health Ministry says the Medical Devices Rules, 2017 have been amended. Under amended rule 44, a manufacturer that outsources sterilisation to a facility holding a valid licence under the Rules no longer needs a separate loan licence for that activity. Rule 63 now includes the European Union among the jurisdictions recognised for waiver of clinical investigation.
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