articles
Corporate
Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022: An overview
27 February 2023
In the backdrop of India’s commitments made in the UN Climate Change Conference in 2021, the Central Government has recently enacted the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022 (‘Amendment Act’) to amend the two decades old Energy Conservation Act, 2001. The move aims to strengthen the regulatory framework on energy consumption and promote energy efficiency in the country. The article highlights the significant features...
Goods and Services Tax
Classification of indigenous ‘Rab’ prepared from sugar cane: The final decision
23 February 2023
The issue of classification of the product ‘Rab’ (semi-solid sugarcane juice) and applicable rate of tax on its supply has been a subject matter of dispute for a long time. The article intends to highlight the divergent practices followed by the industry and analyse if the CBIC Circular No. 189/01/2023-GST, dated 13 January 2023 has resolved the issue in entirety. Elaborately analysing the issues and concerns...
Intellectual Property
Assessment of the inventive step in India
16 February 2023
The article examines a Delhi High Court decision against an order passed by the Controller of Patents and Designs refusing the grant of the patent application for lacking inventive step. It further highlights the fundamental principles discussed by the High Court for analysis of an ‘inventive step’ in India. The article notes how the High Court discussed the various approaches available for determining the inventive step which were followed across various jurisdictions...
Intellectual Property
Do the trademarks provisions permit registrar to transfer pending petitions to IPD of the Court?
16 February 2023
The article discusses a Delhi High Court decision where one of the questions that came up before the IPD, Delhi was whether the Trade Marks Registry can transfer pending rectification/cancellation petitions to the IPD of the respective Hon’ble High Court. The Court observed that if the court thinks it is necessary to consolidate and hear together all the matters related to the same or related subject matter before the IPD, it may direct so.
Direct Tax
Taxation of unexempt income of Public Charitable Trusts
15 February 2023
Income derived from Trust property has been exempt under Income-tax laws since the Act of 1886. Tracing the legislative history in respect of income from property held under trust, the author examines amendments made by Finance Act, 1970; Taxation Laws (Amendment) Act, 1975; Finance Act, 1983; and Finance Act, 2022, the author concludes that the present iteration of Section 13(1)(c) / Section 13(1)(d) makes it evident that ...
International Trade & WTO
Arresting the distortion – The EU Commission way
01 February 2023
The article elaborately analyses the recent imposition of definitive anti-dumping duty by the European Union on imports of fatty acid originating from Indonesia. The article tries to decode how the EU Anti-dumping Regulation deals with cases where the raw material prices are distorted and how the Commission in the present case implemented the said Regulations.
Goods and Services Tax
‘Value addition’ in Value Addition Tax: Extension of limitation period
25 January 2023
Post introduction of GST, the State Governments of Kerala, Gujarat and Telangana have amended their VAT laws with the objective of enhancing the limitation period in different forms. The said extension of limitation period needs to be tested on the touchstone of the Indian Constitution i.e., whether the States continued to possess ‘power’ under the Constitution to levy and administer VAT with the advent of GST law.
Direct Tax
Penalty under Sections 221 & 271C for non-deduction/ short deduction of tax at source
24 January 2023
The article deals with a peculiar issue of simultaneous applicability of two penal provisions being Sections 221 and 271C of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which may be fastened on the assessee for non-deduction/ short deduction of tax at source. The authors for this purpose consider the relevant provisions, applicability of Rule of Double Jeopardy and various judicial precedents on applicability of two penalty provisions for the short deduction of TDS.
Corporate
E-waste (Management) Rules, 2022 – An analysis
19 January 2023
The new Rules will come into force on 1 April 2023 and will introduce recycling targets in the extended producer responsibility (‘EPR’) plan of the producers of e-waste. The article elaborately discusses major changes and the widened scope as compared to the earlier 2016 Rules. The authors discuss the registration requirements, reduction of compliances on bulk consumers, introduction of recycling certificate, introduction of refurbishing certificate and deferred liability, and penal provisions
Intellectual Property
Divisional Applications in India: Part II
18 January 2023
The article further discusses the evolving law around Divisional Applications in India. Analysing two decisions of the IPAB and one of the Delhi High Court, the article notes that the requirement that the claims of a divisional application have to be based on, more particularly, to have their route, or to be gleaned from, or clearly exist in, the claims of the parent application, appears to be a unique one and such a requirement is not seen in other major jurisdictions, such as Europe or USA.
International Trade & WTO
Playing on the wrong side – United States’ Section 232 measures held inconsistent with WTO law
30 December 2022
The WTO Panel has held that USA’s additional duties on imports of steel products and aluminium products are inconsistent with various provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (‘GATT’), most notably the security exception in Article XXI. The article discusses the panel’s key findings concerning the consistency of the US’ measures with GATT Article XXI which enables a WTO Member to take measures which are necessary for the protection of its essential security interests
Goods and Services Tax
Arbitral award: Compensation or consideration
29 December 2022
The article discusses the GST liability on arbitral awards. It notes that though the CBIC Circular No. 178/10/2022-GST, dated 3 August 2022 has paved the way in understanding the GST implications on arbitral awards, determination of the nature of the arbitral award, requires analysis of facts surrounding each case and the terms and conditions of the contract entered between the parties as the awarded amount may not necessarily be in the nature of a compensation.
Direct Tax
Normal and substantial profits – A new yardstick for charitable purpose
23 December 2022
The charitable trusts/institutions enjoy substantial income-tax benefits and hence are often subject to detailed scrutiny to ensure that commercial concerns are kept outside the boundaries of the tax-exempt status. Tracing the evolution of the definition of charitable purpose and its judicial interpretation, the article explains the recent decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority. According to the authors...
Corporate
Navigating a workplace investigation
22 December 2022
The article notes that due to subjective nature of the investigations under consideration, there is no set mechanism or strict procedure which needs to be adhered to, for conducting such investigations. The authors however discuss the broad guidelines related to requisition, review and questionnaire, investigation interviews, transcripts, and preparing the investigation report, which aid the investigation team and are to be read along with the internal policies of the concerned organization.
Intellectual Property
Divisional Applications in India: Evolving jurisprudence
19 December 2022
The article discusses elaborately the evolving jurisprudence of Divisional Applications in India. It notes that in India, a divisional application under Section 16 of the Patents Act, 1970 may be pursued to overcome an objection by the Patent Office on the unity of invention, or voluntarily by the Applicant if the claims of the parent Application are directed to more than one invention. Citing a recent decision of the Delhi High Court, the authors note that in India...
International Trade & WTO
OFAC - Insights into the US sanctions regime
01 December 2022
In the previous article , we shed light on the nature and extent of Western sanctions. We explained that among the numerous measures adopted by the Western nations in response to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, unilateral sanctions have been employed as a primary instrument to economically penalize Russia and its allies such as Belarus.
Customs
Export duty on iron ore and steel intermediaries – An industry perspective!
25 November 2022
The Government has with effect from 19 November 2022 rolled back export duty on iron ore pellets and steel products, including pig iron, flat-rolled products of carbon steel and stainless steel, bars, rods and non-alloy steel, vide Notification No. 58/2022-Customs, dated 18 November 2022.
Corporate
Company Secretary whether liable for misleading financial information given by a company
24 November 2022
In V. Shankar v. SEBI , the company secretary (CS) of Deccan Chronicle Holding Limited (‘DCHL’) was absolved by Securities Appellate Tribunal (‘SAT’), Mumbai, from the liability imposed by the Adjudicating Officer (‘AO’) of Securities Exchange Board of India (‘SEBI’) on DCHL for misleading financial statements and information given by the DCHL.
Corporate
Supreme Court upholds 2014 amendment of Pension Scheme with certain caveats
23 November 2022
The Supreme Court on 4 November 2022, upheld the constitutional validity of certain amendments made to the Employees’ Pension Scheme (‘EPS’) by way of the Employees' Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014 (‘Amendment Scheme’). This much-awaited ruling in the matter of Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation & Another v. Sunil Kumar B. and Others will impact thousands of working individuals and make the EPS more viable.