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October 2026
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GST57th GST Council: arrest power to go, prosecution threshold ₹5 crore, automatic refunds and wider input tax credit recommended
Prosecution: ₹1 crore → ₹5 croreReliefThe GST Council, in its 57th meeting on 8 October 2026, recommended omitting the arrest power in section 69 of the CGST Act, raising the prosecution threshold from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore and cutting the general penalty from ₹25,000 to ₹10,000. It also recommended system-sanctioned refunds, refund of credit on capital goods and input services, a shorter list of blocked credits and a simpler registration for small e-commerce sellers. None of it is law yet: each item needs a circular, notification or amendment.
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FEMA & RBIRBI raises repo rate by 25 bps to 5.50%, changes stance to calibrated tightening; SDF 5.25%, MSF and Bank Rate 5.75% with immediate effect
Repo rate 5.50%Rule changeThe Monetary Policy Committee, at its 63rd meeting on 5–7 October 2026, voted unanimously to increase the policy repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.50 per cent and changed the stance to calibrated tightening. The SDF rate stands at 5.25 per cent and the MSF rate and Bank Rate at 5.75 per cent, all with immediate effect. RBI projects real GDP growth of 7.1 per cent and CPI inflation of 5.2 per cent for 2026-27.
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Foreign TradeCabinet approves Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA) as an SPV; technical appraisal for central infrastructure projects of ₹500 crore or more
Projects of ₹500 crore or moreNew facilityThe Union Cabinet on 6 October 2026 approved the setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle, the Integrated Transport & Logistics Authority (ITLA), for research, planning, appraisal, monitoring and impact assessment in transportation and logistics. ITLA will prepare a National Transport Master Plan, technically appraise Government of India infrastructure projects costing ₹500 crore or more, and build a National Transport Data Repository using sources such as GSTN e-way bill, FASTag and Vahan. The release does not say when ITLA will start functioning.
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SEBINABKISAN lists India’s first WASH-focused social bond on NSE, raises ₹180 crore at 8.10% coupon
₹180 crore, 8.10%, 5 yearsNew facilityNABKISAN Finance Limited, a NABARD subsidiary, listed a social bond dedicated exclusively to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector on the National Stock Exchange on 1 October 2026. The issue was oversubscribed 1.8 times and raised ₹180 crore. The five-year bond carries a coupon of 8.10 per cent, matures in September 2031 and is rated CRISIL AAA (Stable) and CARE AAA (Stable).
September 2026
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LabourEPF wage ceiling raised from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 a month with effect from 17 September 2026
₹25,000Rule changeThe Union Cabinet has approved a higher wage ceiling for mandatory EPFO coverage. Employees drawing between ₹15,000 and ₹25,000 a month become eligible for mandatory coverage.
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SEBISEBI launches “Demat 2.0” pilot for tokenised corporate bonds; three issuers raise ₹1,025 crore, funds leg settled in RBI’s wholesale e₹
Demat 2.0: ₹1,025 crore raisedNew facilitySEBI has announced the launch of “Demat 2.0”, a pilot in which corporate bonds are created as digital tokens on a distributed ledger owned by the depositories and settled against RBI’s wholesale CBDC (e₹). REC, L&T and IIFL have issued tokenised bonds aggregating ₹1,025 crore. Credit rating, debenture trustee, listing and disclosure requirements continue to apply in full.
August 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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