Top Monthly Legal Updates - June 2023 in India

 

Monthly Legal Updates - June 2023 in India

1. RBI launches "Antardrishti" for Financial Inclusion Monitoring

• On June 1, 2023, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched "Antardrishti," a financial inclusion dashboard to record and evaluate the development of financial inclusion in India.

2. RBI Releases 27th Financial Stability Report (FSR)

• On June 2, 2023, RBI released the 27th issue of the Financial Stability Report (FSR), focusing on various risks impacting financial stability and the resilience of the Indian financial system.

3. Indian Navy's Green Initiatives with Solar Power

• On June 3, 2023, the Indian Navy initiated the use of solar power with a cumulative capacity of 15.87MW, aligning with India's "Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission."

4. PSUs Not Exempted from Competition Act, Says Supreme Court

• On June 3, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that government departments, including PSUs, are not exempt from the Competition Act, regardless of performing sovereign functions.

5. RBI Releases Draft Payment Security Norms

• On June 5, 2023, RBI released "Draft Payment Security Norms" for payment operators to enhance cybersecurity for digital payments.

6. UPI Tops Retail Transactions, Reports RBI Bulletin

• On June 7, 2023, the RBI Bulletin revealed that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions accounted for about 90% of retail digital transactions and projected this trend to continue.

7. Supreme Court Clarifies Scope of Judicial Review in Disciplinary Proceedings

• On June 7, 2023, the Supreme Court clarified that it will intervene in disciplinary proceedings only to evaluate the decision-making process, not reevaluate evidence.

8. TCS Selected for Teacher Pension Scheme Administration

• On June 8, 2023, TCS was chosen as a partner for the Teachers' Pension Scheme to enhance customer experience, manage pension records, and ensure scheme finance management.

9. Kerala High Court: Nudity Is Not Obscene by Default

• On June 8, 2023, the Kerala High Court, invoking the principle of body autonomy, ruled that a woman's naked body should not always be regarded as sexual or obscene.

10. Airtel to Manage Digital Content at DIKSHA Portal

- On June 9, 2023, Bharti Airtel was selected by the Digital India Corporation (DIC) to manage content and cloud services for the DIKSHA portal, aimed at promoting digital education.

11. Maintenance Can Be Sought by Muslim Women Post-Divorce

- On June 10, 2023, the Bombay High Court dismissed a husband's application challenging increased maintenance for his ex-wife under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005.

12. Delhi High Court: Haj Pilgrimage Is a Religious Practice

- On June 10, 2023, the Delhi High Court, while granting a stay on the Haj quota allocation list, declared that Haj pilgrimage falls within the ambit of religious practice protected under Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.

13. Google to Establish Fintech Centre in GIFT City, Gujarat

- On June 10, 2023, Google announced plans to establish a global fintech operations center in Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT City).

14. Supreme Court: Social Media Should Not Be Used to Malign Judicial Officers

- On June 11, 2023, the Supreme Court emphasized that social media should not be used as a platform to malign the image of judicial officers while dismissing a plea against sentencing for false corruption allegations.

15. RBI to Revise Guidelines for Fraudulent Account Classification

- On June 11, 2023, RBI announced plans to revise guidelines for the classification of fraudulent accounts, ensuring due process and natural justice are upheld.

16. Government e-Marketplace (GeM) Transactions Exceed Rs. 50,000 Crore

- On June 11, 2023, GeM recorded transactions exceeding Rs. 50,000 crore in the first quarter of 2023, marking a significant increase compared to the previous year.

17. Supreme Court Takes Suo Moto Notice of Lack of Toilets for Female Advocates

- On June 12, 2023, the Supreme Court took suo moto cognizance of the lack of female toilets in the Ooty Court and directed a detailed report from the Madras High Court administration.

18. Plea for Urgent Hearing on Rs. 2000 Note Exchange Refused

- On June 12, 2023, the Supreme Court refused an urgent hearing on a plea challenging the notification allowing the exchange of Rs. 2000 notes without identity proof, emphasizing that the court should not be a public platform.

19. Supreme Court Stays Bike Taxi Operations in Delhi

- On June 12, 2023, the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court's order permitting bike taxi operations in Delhi without aggregator licenses due to safety concerns and the absence of insurance coverage.

20. Supreme Court Rejects Invocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)

- On June 13, 2023, the Supreme Court refused to invoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in a case related to tree cutting, stating that it did not apply in this context.

21. Defamation Complaint Against Karnataka CM Dismissed

- On June 13, 2023, a Special Court in Bengaluru dismissed a defamation complaint against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddharamaiah for his comment "Lingayat chief minister," ruling that it was targeted at a specific individual, not the entire Lingayat community.

22. Face Identification via Aadhaar Used by 47 Entities

- On June 13, 2023, the government reported that 47 entities were using face identification through Aadhaar, with transactions reaching an all-time high of 10.6 million in June.

23. Plea for Urgent Hearing on Uttarakhand Mahapanchayat Rejected

- On June 14, 2023, the Supreme Court refused an urgent hearing on the Uttarakhand Mahapanchayat issue, directing the petitioner to approach the Uttarakhand High Court first.

24. Supreme Court Stays Bail Order for Preeti Chandra

- On June 14, 2023, the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court's bail order for Preeti Chandra, wife of Unitech promoter Sanjay Chandra, in a money laundering case.

25. SEBI Modifies LODR Norms for Key Managerial Personnel (KMP)

- On June 14, 2023, SEBI introduced Regulation 26A related to the positions of Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) and their continuation as directors of the company, with provisions for filling these positions within three months.

26. SEBI to Digitize Investor Service Requests and Complaints

- On June 15, 2023, SEBI announced plans to digitize investor service requests and complaints to improve efficiency and maintain a database of service requests.

27. SEBI Introduces New Disclosure Rules for Listed Entities

- On June 17, 2023, SEBI imposed new rules on the top 100 listed entities, requiring them to confirm or deny market rumors reported in mainstream media and disclose cybersecurity incidents.

28. SEBI Bans IIFL Securities for 2 Years

- On June 17, 2023, SEBI banned IIFL Securities from onboarding new clients for two years due to the misuse of client funds by mixing them with the company's funds.

29. ZEE Settles Case with SEBI, Pays Rs. 7 Crore

- On June 18, 2023, ZEE settled its case with SEBI and paid Rs. 7 crore in connection with alleged violations of securities laws during an investigation from January 1, 2019, to December 26, 2019.

30. EROS International Barred from Securities Market

- On June 18, 2023, SEBI barred EROS International Media and four others from the securities market due to allegations of diverting funds and financial misreporting.

31. SEBI Introduces Framework for Disposal of Undertaking by Listed Entities

- On June 18, 2023, SEBI introduced a framework for the disposal of undertakings by listed entities, giving public shareholders a say in decisions related to the sale or disposal of an undertaking.

32. SEBI Requires Independent Valuation of AIF Portfolio Assets

- On June 19, 2023, SEBI mandated that the Manager and key management personnel of Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) appoint an independent valuer for asset valuation, ensuring fair valuation of AIF investments.

33. SEBI Discontinues Fee Payment by Demand Drafts

- On June 19, 2023, SEBI announced that fees for requesting informal guidance would no longer be accepted via Demand Drafts and should be paid directly into the bank account through electronic methods.

34. Delhi High Court: Right to Change One's Name Recognized

- On June 20, 2023, the Delhi High Court recognized the right to change one's surname in cases of caste atrocities, stating that it's inherent in an individual's right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

35. India and Egypt Establish Strategic Partnership

- On June 20, 2023, India and Egypt signed a bilateral agreement to establish a "strategic partnership" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Egypt.

36. Karnataka High Court: Necrophilia Not an Offense

- On June 21, 2023, the Karnataka High Court acquitted a defendant of the charge of "rape" involving a dead body, stating that such an act was not specifically punishable under Section 376 of the IPC.

37. Birth and Death Registration by Aadhaar Allowed

- On June 21, 2023, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEiTY) allowed the registration of births and deaths using Aadhaar, subject to guidelines and justification.

38. House Loans for Rajasthani Farmers Under Cooperative Scheme

- On June 21, 2023, the Cooperative Village Housing Scheme began providing house loans of up to Rs. 50 lakhs to Rajasthani farmers for constructing houses in their agricultural fields.

39. New UP Prison Act Renames Prisons as 'Reform Homes'

- On June 21, 2023, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh announced a new Prisons Act renaming prisons as 'Sudhaar Grah' (Reform Homes) to emphasize rehabilitation and reform.

40. Supreme Court Stays Report on Rape Victim's Mangal Dosh

- On June 22, 2023, the Supreme Court stayed an Allahabad High Court order seeking an astrology department report on a rape victim's "Mangal Dosh," citing concerns about using astrology in legal matters.

41. Construction of World's Largest Ramayan Temple Begins in Bihar

- On June 22, 2023, construction commenced on the world's largest Ramayan temple in Bihar's East Champaran district, with plans to make it taller than Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex.

42. Rs. 942 Crore Demand Notice Issued to HDFC Life Insurance

- On June 23, 2023, the Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs (CBIC) issued a demand notice of Rs. 942.18 crore to HDFC Life Insurance for wrongly availing input tax credit without actual supply of services.

43. Jammu and Kashmir Chooses Blue Pansy as State Butterfly

- On June 23, 2023, Jammu and Kashmir designated the Blue Pansy butterfly (Junonia Orithya) as the state butterfly to promote biodiversity preservation.

44. India Removed from UN Report on Impact of Armed Conflict on Children

- On June 24, 2023, India was removed from the UN Secretary-General's report on the impact of armed conflict on children due to the country's efforts to protect children's rights.

45. QS World Rankings Released for Indian Institutes

- On June 27, 2023, QS World Rankings were released, with several Indian institutes, including IITs and others, included in the ranking based on factors like sustainability, employability, and research collaboration.