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September 2026
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Trademark & IPPatent Office releases draft examination guidelines for pharmaceutical and biotechnology patent applications, 2026
Draft pharma, biotech guidesComments invitedThe Office of the CGPDTM has published two drafts — Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications in the Field of Pharmaceuticals and in the Field of Biotechnology, both marked 2026. They are meant to bring uniform examination standards and to take in court decisions. Both are drafts; the Act and Rules prevail in any conflict.
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LabourEPFO’s VISHWAS, 2026: settle old PF damages at 0.25% to 1% a month — window closes 28 December 2026
28 December 2026ReliefThe one-time settlement scheme covers delayed PF contributions prior to 14 June 2024. EPFO says the closing date will not be extended.
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LabourESIC recovery: C-18 notices on wages above ₹20 lakh need Joint Director’s prior approval; recovery offices to move to district Branch Offices
C-18 above ₹20 lakh: JD approvalNew facilityTwo ESIC Headquarters memoranda change how dues are assessed and recovered. From the memorandum of 7 August 2026, a C-18 notice involving wages or omitted wages above ₹20 lakh needs prior approval of the Joint Director (Revenue). By an Office Memorandum of 3 September 2026, revenue recovery offices are to be decentralised from Regional and Sub-Regional Offices to Branch Offices, preferably one in a district.
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Company LawCCI directs Trustees’ Association of India and three debenture trustees to cease and desist from fixing a benchmark fee; no monetary penalty
CCI: cease and desist, no penaltyBy an order dated 2 September 2026 under section 27 of the Competition Act, 2002, CCI has directed Trustees’ Association of India, IDBI Trusteeship Services Limited, Axis Trustee Services Limited and SBI CAP Trustee Company Limited to cease and desist from conduct found to violate section 3(3)(a) and 3(3)(b) read with section 3(1). No monetary penalty was imposed.
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SEBISEBI proposes net settlement of funds for outright cash-market trades of mutual fund schemes; securities to stay gross. Comment window closed on 24 September 2026
MF net fund settlement: draftComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 3 September 2026 proposes to let a mutual fund scheme net its fund obligations for outright buy and sell transactions in the cash market, as already permitted for FPIs. Netting would be only at scheme level, securities would continue to settle gross, and STT and stamp duty would stay on delivery basis. Comments were due by 24 September 2026; the window has closed.
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Company LawNCLT filing practice: pleadings to be printed on both sides; documents filed on the Bench’s direction must carry the order
Annex the Compliance OrderAction neededTwo NCLT circulars change how papers are filed before all Benches. From 3 September 2026 all pleadings are to be printed back-to-back. And by the circular of 25 August 2026, a document filed on the Bench’s direction must annex that order; a document filed without any direction will not be processed by the Registry.
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CustomsDeferred duty payment for manufacturers: EMI Scheme application cut from ten documents to three, enrolment opens 15 September 2026 — CBIC Circular 39/2026-Customs
10 documents → 3ReliefCBIC has trimmed the application for the Eligible Manufacturer Importer (EMI) Scheme, which gives deferred payment of customs import duty. Many data fields are dropped from Appendix-I, uploads fall from ten documents to three, and the Chartered Accountant’s certificate must now give reasons where net worth or net current assets are negative. Eligible importers can apply from 15 September 2026.
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CustomsCustoms opens NAC Portal: classification and valuation decisions, CAAR rulings and audit objections in one searchable place
naccustoms.gov.inNew facilityCircular 41/2026-Customs announces the National Assessment Centre Portal at naccustoms.gov.in, open to importers and Customs Brokers, with keyword search and downloadable documents.
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CustomsImporting cosmetics, drugs or medical devices: Customs to check CDSCO documents before out-of-charge — upload them on e-SANCHIT
7 checklistsAction neededCircular 40/2026-Customs circulates seven CDSCO checklists of licences, permissions and registration certificates that the Customs officer is to verify before releasing such imports, while their integration under SWIFT 2.0 is in process.
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Legal & DisputesCCPA imposes ₹10 lakh penalty on Dial4Trade for listing ammonium nitrate without licence checks; rejects B2B and safe-harbour defences
₹10 lakh penalty on Dial4TradeThe Central Consumer Protection Authority has imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on Dial4Trade Technologies Private Limited for facilitating the online listing, advertising and sale of ammonium nitrate without the mandatory safeguards, and directed it to stop listing any substance classified as an explosive under the Explosives Act, 1884. Seven other platforms are under examination.
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SEBIPFRDA proposes overhaul of Point of Presence Regulations: physical and digital modes, LLPs, trusts and societies eligible, annual fee of 1% — exposure draft, comments closed 2 October
Draft: PoP fee ₹25,000, digital nilComments invitedPFRDA’s exposure draft of 2 September 2026 proposes to amend the Point of Presence Regulations, 2018: two modes of distribution (physical and digital), more legal forms eligible for digital-mode registration, application fee of ₹25,000 for physical mode and nil for digital, an annual fee of 1% of charges earned in place of five-yearly renewal, and “NPS Mitra” in place of “pension agent”. These are proposals; the comment period ended on 2 October 2026.
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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.
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FEMA & RBIRBI drops two reports on Rupee accounts of non-resident banks: yearly branch list and overdrawal reporting dispensed with — A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20
Two FEMA reports droppedReliefBy A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 dated 2 September 2026, RBI has dispensed with two reporting requirements on Rupee accounts of non-resident banks that dated from April 2003: the annual list of branches maintaining such accounts, and the report of temporary overdrawals not adjusted within five days. The change applies with immediate effect.
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LabourPF Trusts without a formal exemption order can regularise under the EPF Scheme 2026 amnesty till 28 December 2026
PF Trust amnestyReliefThe one-time amnesty is for PF Trusts recognised under the Income-tax Act that have no exemption order under section 17 of the EPF & MP Act or section 143 of the Code on Social Security.
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LabourESIC issues SOP for compounding first-time offences under section 138 of the Code on Social Security: pay within 15 days, composition certificate in 10 days
Pay in 15 days, certificate in 10New facilityESIC Headquarters has circulated a Standard Operating Procedure for compounding of offences under section 138 of the Code on Social Security, 2020 read with rule 54 of the Social Security (Central) Rules, 2026. An electronic compounding notice goes out in Form-XXIV; the employer pays and applies within 15 days; the composition certificate follows within 10 days. The amount is half the maximum fine for fine-only offences and three-fourths where imprisonment up to one year is also provided.
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CustomsSea Cargo Manifest and Transhipment Regulations, 2018 go live port by port from 1 September 2026; no penal action in the roll-out phase — CBIC Circular 38/2026-Customs
SCMTR: all ports by 15 OctAction neededCBIC has made the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transhipment Regulations, 2018 operational from 1 September 2026 in a phased manner. Goa and Bombay started on 1 September; Chennai follows on 9 October, and Nhava Sheva and all remaining ports on 15 October 2026. No penal action is to be taken during the implementation phase.
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Foreign TradeDGFT starts automatic issue of Free Sale and Commerce Certificates for eligible applications
Auto-issuedReliefEligible applications on the DGFT portal will be issued without manual scrutiny by the Regional Authority. Others continue on the manual route, and auto-approved cases can be flagged for review.
August 2026
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Company LawMCA extended the Companies Compliance Facilitation Scheme, 2026 a second time — up to 15 September 2026
15 September 2026ExtendedGeneral Circular 04/2026 dated 31 August 2026 extended CCFS-2026 from 31 August to 15 September 2026 on representations from stakeholders. All other terms of the Scheme stayed unchanged.
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Trademark & IPTrade Marks Registry holds Friday hearings till December 2026 to close oppositions that are settled or to be withdrawn
Opposition drive: FridaysNew facilityThe Trade Marks Registry has begun a Special Disposal Drive for opposition proceedings where parties want to withdraw the application or opposition or have settled. Hearings are on every working Friday from 4 September till December 2026, in hybrid mode, taken up by the filing year of the trade mark application.
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