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September 2026
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Trademark & IPDesign applications: First Examination Reports to be sent only by e-mail from 2 October 2026; postal dispatch ordinarily stops
Design FER: e-mail onlyNew facilityThe Office of the CGPDTM has notified that, from 2 October 2026, First Examination Reports in design applications will ordinarily be communicated only to the e-mail address given in Form-1 under “Address for Service in India”. Physical dispatch by post is ordinarily discontinued from that date.
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SEBIAngel Funds registered on or before 10 September 2025 get till 31 March 2027 to move to Accredited Investors only: SEBI relaxes the timeline
Now till 31 March 2027ExtendedSEBI has extended the transitional period for Angel Funds registered on or before 10 September 2025 to comply with the Accredited Investor mandate. The date moves from 8 September 2026 to 31 March 2027. Until then such funds cannot offer investment opportunities to more than 200 non-Accredited Investors, and after it they cannot accept contributions from non-Accredited Investors.
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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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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.
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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Foreign TradeOne Star Export House status on two years’ performance out of three; Diamond Imprest para drops Compensation Cess reference — DGFT Notifications 33/2026-27 and 32/2026-27
Two out of three yearsReliefTwo amendments to the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 dated 21 August 2026. Para 1.25(d) now lets an applicant (other than Gems & Jewellery) get One Star Export House status with export performance in any two of the three preceding financial years. Para 4.63 on Diamond Imprest Authorisation no longer refers to Compensation Cess, which stands discontinued from 1 February 2026.
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Company LawCCI raises the time to offer commitments from 45 to 60 and the overall limit from 130 to 180: Commitment Amendment Regulations, 2026
45 days → 60 daysRule changeThe Competition Commission of India has amended its Commitment Regulations, 2024. The figure in regulation 3(3) for filing a commitment application goes from 45 to 60, the Commission’s first look from 7 to 15, and the overall limit from 130 to 180. A defective application is now returned and may be refiled within 10 working days, with the fee adjusted.
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SEBISEBI cautions investors against “live trading strategies” on social media; live market data cannot be shared, educators must use prices with a 30-day lag
Live trading tips: SEBI cautionSEBI has cautioned investors about persons offering “live trading strategies / real-time strategies” on social media platforms. It has advised investors not to trust such claims, not to base investment decisions on live trading sessions and to deal only with SEBI registered intermediaries. Live market data may not be shared except for orderly market functioning or regulatory requirements.
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SEBIOnline Bond Platform Providers may now offer 54EC / section 85 capital-gains bonds and IFSCA-regulated products; compliance officer rule changed
54EC bonds on bond platformsReliefSEBI has widened what Online Bond Platform Providers can offer. From 14 August 2026 they may offer bonds issued under section 54EC of the Income Tax Act, 1961 or section 85 of the Income-tax Act, 2025, and products regulated by IFSCA, each with labelling and disclaimer conditions. The compliance officer is now to be appointed as per the Stock Brokers Regulations, 2026 in place of a Company Secretary.
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SEBISEBI proposes a mandatory colour-coded Credit Risk-o-Meter for debt securities in offer documents, advertisements and bond platforms; comment window closed on 3 September 2026
Credit Risk-o-Meter: draftComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 13 August 2026 proposes that issuers and Online Bond Platform Providers must display a “Credit Risk-o-Meter” — a six-level colour-coded scale mapped to credit ratings from AAA to D — in offer documents, abridged prospectuses, private placement memoranda, advertisements and OBPP web and mobile platforms. Comments were due by 3 September 2026; the window has closed.
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Foreign TradeIndia and SACU sign Terms of Reference for a Preferential Trade Agreement
India–SACUThe negotiations with the Southern African Customs Union will cover eight chapters including market access for goods and rules of origin. No tariff changes yet — only a final agreement will do that.
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Accounting & AuditInd AS Amendment Rules, 2026 notified: changes to Ind AS 101, 107, 109, 110 and 7 apply from 1 April 2026
Ind AS 109 · 107Rule changeG.S.R. 725(E) brings in the Annual Improvements to Ind AS (2024) and the amendments on contracts referencing nature-dependent electricity, for annual periods beginning on or after 1 April 2026.
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CustomsTelevision sets: compliance with IS 18112:2022 under the Compulsory Registration Order deferred to 26 January 2027 — CBIC Instruction 14/2026-Customs
Now 26 January 2027ExtendedCBIC has told Customs officers that MeitY, by Notification S.O. 4182(E), has extended the date for compliance with IS 18112:2022 for television sets under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. The requirement, due from 26 July 2026, now applies from 26 January 2027.
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FEMA & RBIRBI draft proposes NBFCs offer only term loans, no revolving credit — credit-card NBFCs excepted; comment window closed on 28 August 2026
Draft: no revolving creditComments invitedRBI released draft amendment directions on 6 August 2026 proposing that an NBFC offer only credit products in the nature of term loans and no revolving credit products, except an NBFC authorised by RBI to issue credit cards. The draft defines “term loan” and “revolving credit” and proposes to delete the demand/call loan provisions. Comments were invited by 28 August 2026; that window has closed.
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FEMA & RBIIFSCA modifies AML, CFT and KYC Guidelines: all FIU reports only on FINgate 2.0, cross-border wire transfer reports named, NRI onboarding list of countries revised
FIU reports only on FINgate 2.0Rule changeIFSCA has modified its AML, CFT and KYC Guidelines, 2022. Regulated entities must file all reports online only at FIU-India’s FINgate 2.0 portal; rule 8 of the PML rules is added to clause 10.3; Cross Border Wire Transfer Reports are written into the guidance note; and the list of countries from which an NRI customer’s IP address may emanate is substituted with nine jurisdictions.
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