articles
Corporate Advisory
Coronavirus: Employer and Employee Relationship
09 April 2020
Coronavirus, which originated from the Wuhan district of China, has been declared as a health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020. The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus Disease (“COVID-19”) has transcended geographical barriers and already sickened approximately 15,00,00 people, with more than 85,000 deaths across the globe.
Corporate Advisory
COVID-19 & Sporting Events: Impact Analysis
09 April 2020
The global sports market is an estimated $600 billion industry1, comprising of infrastructure, events, training, manufacturing and retail. The scale and revenue-generating opportunities are most visible during marquee international sporting events.
Corporate Advisory
COVID-19 – Analysis of Price Fixation Orders under Essential Commodities Act
07 April 2020
As the country went into the lockdown, the authorities had a task of keeping supply chains of commodities like masks and sanitizers, active and running - the products essential in the country’s fight against the pandemic Covid-19. Further, the new-found demand for sanitizers and masks also initially led to an increase in their prices. Whereas, the availability of masks and sanitizers of right quality and right prices is essential in combating pandemic Covid19.
Direct Tax
Implications of the General Motors Overseas Corporation case
06 April 2020
The recent decision of the Mumbai Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (“ITAT”) in the General Motors Overseas Corporation case has laid new ground in the law relating to secondments. In this update, we shall discuss the facts of the case, arguments raised before the ITAT and the implications of the decision.
Corporate Advisory
Companies Fresh Start Scheme, 2020
06 April 2020
Upon representations by various stakeholders and in the interest of all companies, the Ministry of Corporate Aairs (“MCA”) recently came out with the Companies Fresh Start Scheme, 2020. The purpose of the said scheme is to condone the delay in filing of documents and provide a one-time waiver to companies from prosecution and imposition of additional fee, in order to enable such companies to file all their documents.
Corporate Advisory
LLP Settlement Scheme
06 April 2020
Upon representations by various stakeholders and in the interest of all limited liability partnerships (“LLPs”), the Ministry of Corporate Aairs (“MCA”) recently came out with the LLP Settlement Scheme 2020. The purpose of the scheme is to condone the delay in filing of documents and provide a one-time waiver to LLPs from prosecution and imposition of additional fee, in order to enable LLPs to file all their documents.
Customs
Impact of Coronavirus Lockdown
03 April 2020
Due to Novel COVID-19, partial / complete lockdown has been imposed in various countries across the world. The Hon’ble Prime Minister of India on March 23, 2020 announced a complete lockdown throughout the country for 21 days, as a preventive measure to slow down the spreading of the virus.
Commercial litigation
Revisiting Contractual Theory and Obligations in the Times of COVID-19
30 March 2020
Amongst other objectives, contracts are about the allocation of risksbetween contracting parties. Risks that may hinder or absolutely obviate the possibility performance are therefore addressed, either by parties themselves in the contract, or by the legal rule of frustration of contracts.
Intellectual Property Rights
COVID-19: IPR Statutory Updates
30 March 2020
In view of the recent COVID-19 outbreak, various Constitutional Courts as well as statutory bodies related to Intellectual Property Laws in India have announced several relief measures for the stakeholders. The said measures have been detailed hereinbelow, along with their implications.
International Trade & WTO
Circumvention provisions relating to anti-dumping duty – Analysis of recent amendments
27 March 2020
Trade Remedy measures act as a shield for the domestic industries of importing countries, since they curb excessive and unfair imports into the country and allow healthy competition to exist. Since anti-dumping and countervailing duties target unfair imports, they are imposed on imports of specific goods ‘originating in or exported from’ specific countries.
COVID-19: Statutory and Regulatory Updates for Companies
26 March 2020
On March 24, 2020, the Finance Minister announced several relief measures across sectors, relating to Statutory and Regulatory compliance matters, in view of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. The main relief measures have been detailed below, along with their implications for businesses.
Customs
Aircraft lease transaction – Not a lease of life
24 March 2020
Considering that nowadays airlines industry is almost always in the news for one reason or another, this may be the best time to highlight one of the issues being faced by this industry.
Direct Tax
Dissecting Section 80M of the Income Tax Act - The known and the unknown
17 March 2020
The Finance Bill 2020 (referred to as the ‘Bill’) proposed plethora of amendments in the Income Tax Act, 1961 (referred to as the ‘Act’) on different aspects. One such amendment was to relieve corporates from paying distribution tax on dividends (‘DDT’) and going back to the old school ways of taxing such dividends in the hands of the shareholders.
Intellectual Property Rights
Right to paternity of contribution in cinematographic film – Analysis of the CHHAPAK case
16 March 2020
In the case of Fox Star Studios (Division of Star India Private Limited) v. Aparna Bhat & Ors.[ CM (M) 15/2020], a Single Judge of Delhi High Court vide its order dated 11th January 2020, held that once a person has contributed to any cinematographic film in any manner, then as per the moral rights, he/ she has right to paternity.
Banking & Finance
Digital payments - Revised framework on monetary penalties is a step towards transparency
11 March 2020
India has seen rapid advancement in the FinTech industry in the last couple of years leading to increased number of transactions, entry of number of non-banking players, availability of multiple online payment modes, etc. This evolving sector is majorly regulated by the Reserve Bank of India by way of issuance of guidelines, directions, policies, instructions from time to time.
Goods and Services Tax
GST on ocean freight – Smooth sailing ahead for assessees?
25 February 2020
Taxation of a cross-border transaction is one of the most complex and disputed areas of litigation. Further, the recent trade wars between the major economies of the world are adding fuel to the fire. One specific industry which had been largely immune from GST or VAT is the shipping industry undertaking international transportation. Most major economies have chosen not to levy GST or VAT on transactions involving movement of goods internationally.
Direct Tax
Benami law and retrospectivity - Analysis of Rajasthan High Court decision in Niharika Jain v. Union of India
20 February 2020
New-age laws that seek to remedy economic wrongs are interesting. Economic wrongs could be civil or criminal in character. Clearly, any person who cheats and deprives people of their property is an offender and is a threat to the society at large. He needs to be dealt with through a criminal law. However, another person who breaches a contractual obligation would need to cough up damages and a civil law would be apt and sufficient to deal with this private matter.
Intellectual Property Rights
To Grant or Not to Grant Interim Injunction - Conflicting decisions by co-ordinate Benches of same High Court in pharmaceutical patent infringement suits
18 February 2020
Two co-ordinate Single Judge Benches of the Delhi High Court have arrived at opposing conclusions as to whether to grant interim injunction or not in favour of the Plaintiffs/Patentee in a batch of patent infringement suits instituted by Astrazeneca AB and others against various Defendants[ Micro Labs Limited, Natco Pharma Limited, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited, Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited and MSN Laboratories Limited.] in relation to a pharmaceutical composition
Corporate Advisory
Convertible Notes – A case of square pegs in a round hole!!
11 February 2020
Given the dynamic and volatile nature of India’s start-up ecosystem, start-up(s) are always in the look-out for innovative and cost-effective fund-raising opportunities. To promote start-up(s), the government also upgrades regulatory norms and practices, in alignment with prevalent economic conditions and market dynamics.