Comments invited
25stories
October 2026
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Trademark & IPDraft guidelines on design registration of GUIs and icons: registrable only when applied to an article; comments invited within 30 days
Comments within 30 daysComments invitedThe Patent Office has published draft Guidelines for Registration of Designs relating to GUI & Icon under the Designs Act, 2000. A GUI or icon shown on its own will not be registrable; it must be applied to an article such as a mobile phone or monitor. Stakeholders can send comments by e-mail within 30 days of the public notice.
September 2026
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FSSAIFSSAI draft: only milk-derived products may be called ‘Paneer’; analogue products to drop the term from name, label and marketing
‘Paneer’ only if from milkComments invitedFSSAI has proposed a draft amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011 to restrict the manufacture and sale of analogue products as “Paneer”. This is a draft: objections and suggestions are invited, and it will be taken up after 60 days from the date the Gazette copies are made available to the public.
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LicencesDraft Drugs Rules amendment proposes mandatory CCTV at medical stores to tighten sale of Schedule H, H1 and X drugs
CCTV at medical stores: draftComments invitedThe Union Health Ministry has proposed amendments to the Drugs Rules, 1945 through Draft Gazette Notification G.S.R. 791 (E) dated 8 September 2026, recommending mandatory CCTV surveillance at medical stores as an additional safeguard for Schedule H, H1 and X drugs. It is a draft; objections and suggestions are invited.
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Foreign TradeDGFT proposes to rewrite Para 2.93 of the Handbook of Procedures on non-preferential Rules of Origin, for exports and imports: Trade Notice 27/2026-27
Comments within 15 daysComments invitedDGFT has published a draft Public Notice that would replace Para 2.93 of the Handbook of Procedures, 2023 so that it prescribes non-preferential Rules of Origin for both exports and imports. For imports, the draft proposes origin by change in tariff heading or 35% value addition, declared by the importer through a self-declaration. Comments are invited within 15 days.
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InsolvencyIBBI proposes four CIRP-style safeguards for personal guarantor insolvency — related parties to get nil vote, mandatory valuation; comments closed on 3 October 2026
Proposal — comments closed 3 OctComments invitedAn IBBI discussion paper proposes four amendments to the regulations for insolvency resolution of personal guarantors to corporate debtors: nil voting share for related parties of the guarantor, examination and reporting of avoidance transactions, valuation of the guarantor’s assets by a registered valuer, and recording of creditors’ reasons on the repayment plan. These are proposals only. The last date for comments was 3 October 2026, which has passed.
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SEBISEBI proposes changing how expiry-day settlement prices of derivatives are fixed after the Closing Auction Session; comment window closed on 3 October 2026
CAS review: 7 proposalsComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 12 September 2026 proposes two options for the expiry-day settlement price of index and stock derivatives — a blended VWAP of the last 30 minutes of continuous trading and the 10-minute Closing Auction Session, or the earlier 30-minute VWAP for an interim period. It also proposes revised market timings and changes to auction orders. Comments were due by 3 October 2026; the window has closed.
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FEMA & RBIRBI draft: banks to follow an SOP for temporary debit holds on accounts linked to mule activity and cyber fraud
Debit-hold SOPComments invitedThe draft KYC Amendment Directions, 2026 follow a Supreme Court order of 4 August 2026. Comments were invited up to 2 October 2026.
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Foreign TradeDGFT proposes to suspend 544 Standard Input Output Norms unused for three years; comments invited within 15 days: Trade Notice No. 26/2026-27
544 SIONs may be suspendedComments invitedAfter reviewing utilisation of Standard Input Output Norms, DGFT has listed 544 SIONs that were not used under the Advance Authorisation or DFIA schemes in the last three financial years and proposes to suspend them. Trade and industry may send comments, with reasons for retaining any SION, within 15 days of the trade notice dated 7 September 2026.
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Trademark & IPPatent Office releases draft examination guidelines for pharmaceutical and biotechnology patent applications, 2026
Draft pharma, biotech guidesComments invitedThe Office of the CGPDTM has published two drafts — Guidelines for Examination of Patent Applications in the Field of Pharmaceuticals and in the Field of Biotechnology, both marked 2026. They are meant to bring uniform examination standards and to take in court decisions. Both are drafts; the Act and Rules prevail in any conflict.
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SEBISEBI proposes net settlement of funds for outright cash-market trades of mutual fund schemes; securities to stay gross. Comment window closed on 24 September 2026
MF net fund settlement: draftComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 3 September 2026 proposes to let a mutual fund scheme net its fund obligations for outright buy and sell transactions in the cash market, as already permitted for FPIs. Netting would be only at scheme level, securities would continue to settle gross, and STT and stamp duty would stay on delivery basis. Comments were due by 24 September 2026; the window has closed.
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SEBIPFRDA proposes overhaul of Point of Presence Regulations: physical and digital modes, LLPs, trusts and societies eligible, annual fee of 1% — exposure draft, comments closed 2 October
Draft: PoP fee ₹25,000, digital nilComments invitedPFRDA’s exposure draft of 2 September 2026 proposes to amend the Point of Presence Regulations, 2018: two modes of distribution (physical and digital), more legal forms eligible for digital-mode registration, application fee of ₹25,000 for physical mode and nil for digital, an annual fee of 1% of charges earned in place of five-yearly renewal, and “NPS Mitra” in place of “pension agent”. These are proposals; the comment period ended on 2 October 2026.
August 2026
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SEBISEBI proposes to exempt certain listed issuers from appointing a merchant banker for privately placed debt of ₹10,000 face value; comment window closed on 17 September 2026
No merchant banker: draftComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 27 August 2026 proposes that an issuer of privately placed debt with a face value of ₹10,000 may be exempted from appointing a merchant banker if four conditions are met: it is regulated by a financial sector regulator, listed for at least one year, has no default in the last three financial years and the current year, and the debt is senior, secured and rated at least AA-. Comments were due by 17 September 2026; the window has closed.
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Trademark & IPDraft Trade Marks Manual: what counts as proof of prior use, and how a mark gets on the well-known list
Draft Trade Marks ManualComments invitedThe Trade Marks Registry’s draft Manual of Trade Marks — Practice & Procedure runs to seven chapters, from filing to renewal. Chapter 7 sorts user evidence into “primary” and “secondary” documents and sets out the well-known mark procedure under rule 124. It is a draft, not final practice.
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SEBISEBI proposes Fixed Income Channel Partners to distribute bonds through online bond platforms; charges to clients capped at 2.5%. Comment window closed on 11 September 2026
Bond distributors (FICP): draftComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 21 August 2026 proposes a new class of Fixed Income Channel Partners (FICPs), enlisted with stock exchanges and appointed by Online Bond Platform Providers, to distribute fixed income securities on the lines of mutual fund distributors. FICPs could not handle client funds or charge clients, and AT1-type unsecured perpetual bonds would be out of bounds. Comments were due by 11 September 2026; the window has closed.
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Trademark & IPPatent Office puts out draft Manual of Patent Office Practice and Procedure, version 4.0: a 22-chapter guide that is not law
Draft Patent Manual v4.0Comments invitedThe Office of the CGPDTM has published a Draft Manual of Patent Office Practice and Procedure, version 4.0, 2026. It codifies procedure from filing to grant, opposition, renewal and compulsory licensing. The preface says it does not constitute rule making and does not have the force of law. It is a draft, not a final manual.
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InsolvencyIBBI discussion paper of 14 August 2026 proposed guidance for insolvency professionals on fraudulent or malicious initiation of CIRP under section 65; comments closed 24 August
Draft — comments closed 24 AugComments invitedIBBI’s discussion paper dated 14 August 2026 placed a draft circular for comments: nine illustrative indicators that should alert an insolvency professional to fraudulent or malicious initiation of CIRP, and an application to the Adjudicating Authority under section 60(5) read with section 65 where the professional forms that opinion. It was a proposal; the comment period ended on 24 August 2026.
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SEBISEBI proposes fully digital KYC for NRIs, OCIs and foreign nationals located outside India in FATF-compliant countries; comment window closed on 4 September 2026
Digital KYC from abroad: draftComments invitedA SEBI consultation paper issued on 14 August 2026 proposes to let intermediaries on-board individual persons resident outside India digitally without insisting on physical presence in India, if the client is located in a FATF-compliant country. KYC records of such clients would be treated as portable, and video in-person verification would be subject to concurrent audit. Comments were due by 4 September 2026; the window has closed.
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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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FEMA & RBIRBI proposes one set of rules on loan interest rates for all lenders, covering fixed and floating loans
Fixed + floatingComments invitedThe draft Interest Rates on Loans and Advances Directions, 2026 would harmonise the framework for banks, NBFCs, AIFIs, RRBs and co-operative banks. Comments closed on 11 September 2026.
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Foreign TradeDraft SOP for reporting inward remittances routed through NBFC Factors, for eBRC self-certification: DGFT Trade Notice 20/2026-27 invites comments
Comments within 30 daysComments invitedDGFT has circulated a draft Standard Operating Procedure on how Inward Remittance Messages (IRMs) are to be reported when export proceeds come through NBFC Factors. Factors would tag their SWIFT messages so that AD-I banks do not create IRMs for factoring proceeds; exporters would see factor-linked IRMs on the DGFT portal to self-certify eBRCs. Comments are invited within 30 days.
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