Corporate Law

Pursuant to the enactment of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 ("DPDP Act"), the personal data of a 'Data Principal' can be processed only in accordance with the DPDP Act and for a lawful purpose for which the Data Principal has given consent. This consent needs to be 'free, specific, informed, unconditional and unambiguous' with a clear affirmative action. ......

Artificial Intelligence ("AI") holds transformative potential for India’s economy and society. However, this power also brings legal, ethical, and regulatory challenges that necessitate a comprehensive governance framework. The "Report on AI Governance Guidelines Development" ("Report") outlines India’s roadmap for addressing these challenges through a legally sound and inclusive approach. ......

On December 13, 2024, the Ministry of Finance introduced the Banning of Unregulated Lending Activities (Draft) Bill ("Bill"). This Bill was based on a report submitted by the Reserve Bank of India's ("RBI") working group on digital lending. The Bill envisages the banning of all lending entities that are: (a) not authorized by the RBI or other regulators; and (b) not registered under any other law to undertake a public lending business activity. . . . ...

On November 11, 2024, the Reserve Bank of India ("RBI"), notified an operational framework for reclassification of Foreign Portfolio Investment ("FPI") to Foreign Direct Investment ("FDI") , once it exceeds the threshold percentage of 10% (ten percent) of the total paid-up equity capital (on a fully diluted basis) of an Indian company. ......

Section 2 (s) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 ("ID Act") defines workman as any person employed in an industry for manual, skilled, technical, clerical, or supervisory work, including those dismissed, discharged, or retrenched related to industrial disputes ("Workman"). The definition excludes individuals performing managerial or administrative roles in the industry. ......

The Supreme Court of India ("Court") adjudicated a Public Interest Litigation ("PIL") that was filed by the Hindu Sena Samiti, on November 14, 2024. The petitioners raised concerns about inflammatory statements made by various political figures, alleging that such statements threatened public order and national security. ......

The Supreme Court of India (the "Supreme Court") passed two interim orders in October 2024, both of which ruled in favour of journalists against whom FIRs have been filed. In both instances, the FIRs were registered against the journalists for writing articles, alleging that the Uttar Pradesh Government favours individuals from certain castes for their appointment to administrative posts. ......

On September 12, 2024, the Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance notified the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2024 ("Compounding Rules"), in supersession of the Foreign Exchange (Compounding Proceedings) Rules, 2000. Subsequent to the notification of the Compounding Rules, the Reserve Bank of India ("RBI") notified the new directions on the compounding of contraventions. ......

Recently, the Kerala High Court ("Court") ruled that media persons, in discussing the contents of a publicly available book, cannot be prosecuted for defamation. The media persons, in conducting such discussions, would be exercising their freedom of speech through engaging in fair comment and criticism. ......