Author: Legal Parivar

The central government has announced “Naya Bharat” as the theme for the 79th Independence Day on August 15, 2025, symbolising India’s vision of building a prosperous, secure, and self-reliant nation, in line with the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the tricolour at the historic Red Fort and address the nation. This year, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is the coordinating service for the national event, which will feature a ceremonial Guard of Honour, a 21-gun salute, and a special flypast carrying both the national flag and the Operation Sindoor flag. Upon arrival, PM Modi…

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has proposed a complete rewrite of its three-decade-old Stock Brokers Regulations to simplify compliance, eliminate outdated provisions, and align with today’s technology-led markets. Public comments on the draft are open until 3 September. The new framework will replace the 1992 rules, which were designed for an era of physical paperwork, slower settlements, and limited retail participation. SEBI’s working group has consolidated years of circulars into the main regulations, harmonizing them with modern laws such as the Companies Act, 2013. Key Modernization MeasuresThe draft introduces formal definitions for emerging market practices, including algorithmic…

TMRW, the house of brands venture by the Aditya Birla Group, has secured ₹437 crore in funding from ServiceNow Ventures, the investment arm of AI and automation software provider ServiceNow. The capital will be used to strengthen its tech platform, enhance AI-driven consumer insights, and improve customer experience across channels. Launched in 2022, TMRW’s portfolio features Bewakoof, Virat Kohli’s Wrogn, The Indian Garage Co., and Nobero, catering primarily to millennial and Gen Z shoppers. CEO Prashanth Aluru said ServiceNow’s agentic AI capabilities will help the company leapfrog traditional industry practices and deliver next-gen fashion experiences to millions of customers. Financial…

In a historic decision, the Government of India has approved the first-ever cadre review of the Border Security Force (BSF) since its formation in 1965, adding nearly 4,000 new posts between the constable and inspector ranks. According to a BSF spokesperson, the cadre restructuring for Group B and Group C personnel will lead to immediate promotions for 23,710 personnel, significantly boosting morale and career growth opportunities. Key Highlights of the BSF Cadre Review: The decision, approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs and cleared by the Ministry of Finance, comes shortly after Operation Sindoor and is seen as a major…

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will travel to Moscow next week for high-level talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, against the backdrop of recent strains in India-US relations over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian crude oil. Jaishankar’s visit follows National Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s recent trip to Russia, where he met President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials. The agenda is expected to include final preparations for Putin’s upcoming visit to India later this year. According to Russia’s foreign ministry, the discussions will cover “the most important issues of the bilateral agenda”. Jaishankar is scheduled for a two-day…

The State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, has announced a revision in IMPS (Immediate Payment Service) charges effective August 15, 2025. As per SBI’s website, there is no change in branch-based IMPS charges. However, for online IMPS transfers above ₹25,000, nominal fees will now apply: Salary package account holders will continue to enjoy full waivers for online IMPS transactions. For corporate customers, the revised charges will come into effect from September 8, 2025. SBI has also clarified that current account holders under categories such as Gold, Diamond, Platinum, Rhodium, Government Departments, and Autonomous/Statutory bodies will be exempt…

Parle Agro has approached the Delhi High Court seeking to restrain PepsiCo India Holdings from using the word ‘Fizz’ on the packaging of its 7Up cold drink, alleging infringement of its trademark rights over ‘Appy Fizz’. Parle Agro claims it created and adopted the ‘Appy Fizz’ trademark in 2005, with ‘Fizz’ being the key and distinctive element. Over the years, the company expanded its product range to include ‘Frooti Fizz’, ‘Grappo Fizz’, and ‘B-Fizz’. According to senior counsel Chander M Lall, PepsiCo recently began highlighting ‘Fizz’ on 7Up packaging in a manner nearly identical to Parle’s style, reducing the prominence…

ICICI Bank on Wednesday revised its Minimum Account Balance (MAB) requirements across metro, urban, semi-urban, and rural branches, just days after facing criticism over a steep hike. The bank has reduced the MAB as follows: The changes will not impact salary accounts, which continue to follow separate conditions. Customers who fail to maintain the required balance will incur a penalty of 6% of the shortfall amount or ₹500, whichever is lower.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) has announced significant amendments to its Continuing Professional Education (CPE) guidelines for insolvency professionals (IPs), introducing mandatory in-person learning requirements starting 2026. Under the updated framework, every IP (except in their first year of registration) must complete at least 30 CPE credit hours annually. Beginning in 2026, a minimum of 40% of these credits must be earned through in-person programmes — this threshold will increase to 50% in 2027 and 60% from 2028 onwards. Importantly, the IBBI has clarified that the CPE requirement will apply even if an IP’s registration is suspended…

Indian benchmark indices ended their sixth consecutive week in the red, marking the longest losing streak since the April 2020 Covid-19 crash. Persistent concerns over US tariff hikes, weak corporate earnings, and foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows have weighed heavily on sentiment, pushing the Nifty 50 and Sensex to three-month lows. On Friday, the Nifty 50 fell 0.95% to close at 24,363.30, while the Sensex slipped 0.95% to 79,857.79. For the week, they declined 0.8% and 0.9%, respectively. Since the end of June, both benchmarks have lost nearly 5%. Market Overview The downturn was triggered by growing fears over the…