Daily Bulletin

The 57th GST Council has recommended significant decriminalisation measures under GST law, raising the threshold for initiating prosecution for tax evasion from ₹1 crore to ₹5 crore. Chaired by Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Council also approved process reforms, including a minimum threshold of ₹10,000 for show-cause notices. Furthermore, it expanded the scope of refunds under the inverted duty structure to include input services and capital goods, aiming to improve the ease of doing business.

The Supreme Court of India has ruled that the limitation period for filing an appeal under Section 62 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016, begins from the date of pronouncement of the order by the NCLAT. A bench of Justice S.V.N. Bhatti and Justice N.V. Anjaria clarified on October 14, 2026, that the period does not start from the date of receiving the certified copy. The Court affirmed the absolute statutory ceiling for such appeals is 60 days, which cannot be extended further.

The Centre has directed states to combat stubble burning on a "war footing," following an inter-ministerial review co-chaired by Union Ministers Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Shri Bhupender Yadav. While incidents have reduced in Haryana (53.3%) and Uttar Pradesh (32%) between September 15 and October 12, they have increased in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The government has released ₹4,266.47 crore under the Crop Residue Management scheme since 2018-19 to supply machinery and provide farmers with viable alternatives.

The Keralam government has introduced the Keralam Senior Citizens (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly to create a comprehensive legal framework for elderly care. The bill introduces key provisions such as mandatory registration for care centres, legal recognition for "living wills," and proposes stringent penalties, including a fine of up to ₹50,000 for abuse. This addresses the state's demographic shift, where citizens aged 60 and above are projected to form 30% of the population by 2051.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate and dedicate five major Ladakh development projects worth approximately ₹3,350 crore on October 15, 2026. The projects include a new ₹640 crore passenger terminal at Leh's Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport and the strategic 298-km Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road, which provides an alternative all-weather corridor to the region. Other initiatives include the 9 MW Hanu Hydroelectric Project, India's first Petroglyph Conservation Park at Sindhu Ghat, and 40 water bodies developed under Project Him Sarovar.

Amid protests against the 11,000 MW Siang Upper Multipurpose Project, the district administration of Upper Siang in Arunachal Pradesh has prohibited the assembly of five or more people. The order, issued on October 11, followed the detention of four protesters under the state's Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Civil society groups are demanding their release, citing opposition to the dam which is projected to submerge 27 villages.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has launched the new BIS Silver Refinery Scheme, establishing a national framework for silver purity assurance and hallmarking. Unveiled on World Standards Day 2026, the scheme mandates that fine silver bullion and coins of three purity grades—999.9, 999.5, and 999.0 ppt—will be hallmarked as per the amended Indian Standard IS 2112:2025. The hallmark will include the BIS mark and a unique serial number for traceability.

The Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation is strengthening the convergence between Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) 2.0 and the VB-G RAM G programme to ensure long-term water source sustainability. States have been urged to use scientific planning tools like the Decision Support System (DSS) to identify vulnerable sources and integrate Village Action Plans into the Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP) process.