– Part 3 of the 'Lifecycle of Discipline' Series  (Arjun Paleri and Jaya Ramachandran ) In the earlier parts of this series, we delved into the “Why” (how proper processes protect employers and ensure fairness for employees) and the “How” (crafting court-proof charge sheets). Now, we turn our attention to the final, and arguably the most pivotal, phase: The Outcome.   You have conducted a fair inquiry, and the Inquiry Officer has concluded that the employee is guilty of misco

– Part 2 of the ‘Lifecycle of Discipline’ Series  (Arjun Paleri and Jaya Ramachandran ) In our previous article, “Beyond the Handbook,” we established that skipping the disciplinary process can spell legal trouble for organisations. But what happens when you decide to follow the process? Is it still possible for a court to overturn the outcome?  The answer often lies not in the end of the inquiry, but at the very beginning.  Domestic inquiries can falter right from the start

(Harinie Seenivasan and Arjun Paleri) The Supreme Court, in February 2026[1], set aside the dismissal of an employee whose departmental inquiry had resulted in a finding of grave misconduct. This judgement is unique as the Court's reasoning did not focus on procedural flaws but on issues with evidence that was considered for establishing the grave misconduct. More specifically, the Court found that the decision rested on material that did not reliably establish the most serio

(Harinie Seenivasan and Arjun Paleri) The Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench, in a judgement delivered in February 2026 has significant implications for how employers across sectors structure and administer maternity leave. In Dr. Meenakshi Mutiah v. State of Maharashtra & Ors., the court set aside a penalty imposed on a doctor for availing maternity leave during her service bond period and held that maternity leave cannot be restricted or excluded from service computation, irr

(Xerxes Antia and Aanchal Merchant) The Government of India has approved relaxations to the foreign direct investment (“ FDI ”) regime applicable to investments from countries sharing a land border with India. These changes were approved by the Union Cabinet on March 10, 2026 and modify the framework originally introduced under Press Note 3 of 2020 (“ Press Note 3 ”) and consequently incorporated into the Foreign Exchange Management (Non-debt Instruments) Rules, 2019 (“ NDI R

Mansi Singh and Riya Jain   The Indian aviation sector continued to grow stronger in the year 2025, supported by increased capital commitments and large-scale infrastructure development. From IndiGo doubling its Airbus A350 orders to Air India placing additional orders for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, the sector’s growth has been both significant and strategically structured. In parallel, the Government advanced the third phase of airport privatization involving 11 airports, furt

Xerxes Antia and Pranay Desai The Reserve Bank of India (“ RBI ”) has on February 16, 2026 published the Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing and Lending) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (“ Amendment Regulations ”). The Amendment Regulations have been issued basis feedback received by the RBI from the public on the draft Foreign Exchange Management (Borrowing and Lending) (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2025 released by the RBI in October 2025 and seek to amend the Fore

Rohit Kudtarkar and Xerxes Antia     Introduction   The registered office of a company is the principal place of business and the official address recognized under law. It is the place where all statutory communications, notices, and correspondence are sent and where statutory records are maintained. Section 12 of the Companies Act, 2013 (the “ Act ”) mandates that every company must have a registered office at all times during its existence and prescribes the rules relating

Arjun Paleri and Raisa Pinto   1. Introduction   The Code on Wages, 2019 (“ Wages Code ”) represents an important change in India’s labour law framework. The Wages Code subsumes and consolidates four central wage-related labour laws into one code and provides a uniform definition of “wages.” This change impacts not only compliance with laws but also how organizations design and implement salary structures. In light of this change, employers will now be required to revisit and

Arjun Paleri and Jaya Ramachandran Part 1 of the ‘Lifecycle of Discipline’ Series Most employers know what to do when an employee violates policy. Few know how to do it right. Disciplinary action encompasses the spectrum of corrective measures available to the employer to address workplace violations. It can range from verbal warning to termination, often governed by a mix of company policies, employment contract, statutory frameworks such as the Industrial Employment (Standi

Harinie Seenivasan and Arjun Paleri     As of November 21, 2025, the Indian labour law landscape was altered with the enforcement of 4 labour codes that subsumed a total of 29 central labour laws. While this overhaul of laws was intended to simplify the labour laws in India, it introduces certain obligations, and companies are still in the process of understanding and implementing them. Amongst all the changes, the Occupation, Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 

Harinie Seenivasan and Arjun Paleri     The consolidation of 29 labour laws into 4 labour codes marks a paradigm shift for companies, especially those currently involved in corporate transactions. The consolidation now requires parties to undertake a rigorous reassessment of traditional due diligence and integration strategies. As the new framework introduces significant changes that directly influence deal valuation and post-closing liabilities, parties should focus on labou

Harinie Seenivasan and Arjun Paleri     Introduction   Implementing the Code on Wages, 2019 (“ Wages Codes ”) represents the most significant overhaul of payroll structures in India. By consolidating four major laws, the Wages Code introduces a uniform definition of wages that will impact how companies structure their payroll. For organizations, particularly those in the service and information technology sectors, where allowance often makes up a bulk of the CTC, the Wages Co

Harinie Seenivasan and Arjun Paleri     Introduction   The Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 (“ OSH Code ”) consolidates 13 Central laws including key laws such as the Factories Act, 1948 and Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970. Further, the OSH Code, for the very first time, establishes a unified framework governing the working conditions of employees across all sectors that were previously subject to limited regulations.    In th

Xerxes Antia and Agrima Choudhary The Reserve Bank of India (“ RBI ”) has notified the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (“ Regulations ”), which will come into force from October 01, 2026. The Regulations replace the erstwhile Foreign Exchange Management (Export of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2015.  For the first time, the export and import of goods and services have been comprehensively covered under a single set of

Aishwarya Kaushiq and Parv Lodha Contracting with Asset-Less Companies: A Commercial Reality Asset-light structures may be commercially efficient, but they are legally fragile. With no minimum asset requirement under the Companies Act, 2013, companies across sectors increasingly operate with little or no recoverable assets. When such entities default, insolvency proceedings, though legally available, often fail to deliver meaningful recovery.   Reflecting this reality, the Na

1. Draft Guidelines on Mining Plan for Underground Coal and Lignite Gasification Blocks, 2025. 1        On 27 th October 2025, the Ministry of Coal initiated consultation with stakeholders on Mining Plan Guidelines for Coal and Lignite 2025 (“ Guidelines ”), inviting comments until 26 th November 2025. These Guidelines aim to optimise coal and lignite extraction using sustainable technology under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (“ MMDR Act ”). 

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), vide its circular dated December 30, 2025, has revised the earlier relaxation granted under General Circular No. 06/2025 dated October 17, 2025, which allowed filing without additional fees up to December 31, 2025. Companies may now file their financial statements and annual returns for the financial year ended March 31, 2025, without additional fees up to January 31, 2026 . Please refer to the MCA Circular dated December 30, 2025 belo

Mansi Singh and Riya Jain   The safety and dignity of women is not negotiable. Institutions that fail to protect women fail the Constitution itself!  While every person in an ideal world should agree with the above quote, the unfortunate reality is that many women continue to face sexual harassment at workplace. What is even more alarming is that most of the victims do not file formal complaints from the fear of procedures, retaliation, reputational damage and systematic barr