The introduction of Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 is the second attempt to decriminalize various offences, the first one being the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2019. The article in this issue of Corporate Amicus discusses at length the various amendments made by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 related to the Corporate Social Responsibility (‘CSR’) mandate, and their implications.

Finance Act, 2019 has introduced various amendments to the Indian Stamp Act, 1899. Further, with an intent to bring uniformity in rates of stamp duty on both issuance and transfer of securities, whether in physical or dematerialized mode, the Central Government also introduced the Indian Stamp (Collection of Stamp-Duty through Stock Exchanges, Clearing Corporations and Depositories) Rules, 2019.

The first article in this issue of Corporate Amicus elaborately discusses a recent circular issued by SEBI that will be applicable for a scheme of merger, demerger, amalgamation or arrangement filed with the stock exchanges after 17 November 2020.

The article in this issue of Corporate Amicus elaborately discusses the recent amendments in the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (‘FCRA’) by the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Act, 2020 which has come into effect from 29-09-2020.

Under the current circumstances of employees temporarily working remotely from a different country other than their regular work location, a question arises as to whether an individual and the employer will be subjected to different social security obligations, where provision of services is provided remotely from home country.

Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) was introduced under the Companies Act, 2013 to discharge social responsibility through innovative ideas and management skills.

One of the common defenses taken by a party, facing a claim in an arbitration is that the contract has already been discharged by performance, however, it is not uncommon for the claimant to dispute the discharge voucher signed by it and claim that it was executed under fraud, coercion or undue influence.

The first article in this issue of Corporate Amicus covers Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 which has been recently promulgated in order to prevent corporates from being forced into insolvency/liquidation, due to unprecedented situations arising out of COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 crises has posed a challenge for execution of contracts. The article in this issue of Corporate Amicus hence does an in-depth analysis of electronic execution of contracts. It not only elaborately discusses the governing laws of contracts in India, i.e. Indian Contract Act, 1872, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1860, but also touches upon many case law on the subject.

The lockdown throughout the country, as a preventive measure for containing the virus, has raised several questions on the business and employment front across sectors which now need to carefully review their existing employee protection and safety policies, strategies and procedures.