Laws, regulations, government decisions, public policy
SEBI has reduced the minimum investment in Zero Coupon Zero Principal instruments under Social Impact Funds from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 1,000, aligning the threshold with existing individual investor rules. The cut opens a socially-focused investment category to a much wider retail audience.
Telangana has launched a six-circuit tourism strategy to boost visitor growth and draw private investment into the sector. The circuit model is designed to focus infrastructure spending and signal clear investment zones across the state.
A US congressional bill proposes a three-year freeze on new H-1B visas, cutting the annual cap from 65,000 to 25,000 and requiring a minimum salary of $200,000. The measure would also ban dependent visas, directly affecting Indian tech workers and IT services firms that rely on the programme.
India has allowed 100% FDI in insurance through the automatic route, removing the requirement for prior government approval. Foreign investors must still obtain an IRDAI licence to operate, but can now fully own Indian insurance companies without a separate clearance.
A federal court has ordered that mifepristone, the most commonly used abortion pill in the U.S., can only be dispensed in person at clinics, overriding FDA rules that allowed mail delivery. The ruling is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court, leaving access and compliance obligations uncertain in the interim.
India has notified 100% FDI in insurance companies under the automatic route, operationalising the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, which raised the cap from 74%. Foreign investors skip government approval but still need IRDAI clearance, and LIC remains capped at 20%.
India's Finance Ministry has notified FEMA rule changes allowing foreign companies with up to 10% Chinese ownership to invest via the automatic FDI route, skipping prior government approval.
India's Finance Ministry has amended FEMA rules to allow 100% FDI in insurance, up from the prior 74% ceiling, with a separate 20% cap retained for LIC. The change lets foreign insurers own Indian subsidiaries outright, removing the need for local joint-venture partners and lowering barriers to entry.
India has notified 100% FDI in insurance under the automatic route, letting foreign investors fully own Indian insurers without prior approval. The change opens the door for JV buyouts and new entrants, though LIC retains its separate 20% FDI cap.
The Supreme Court declined to direct the Election Commission on counting staff for West Bengal local body elections, upholding EC's authority to choose personnel. The EC assured the court that its circular would be followed and state government employees would also be present during the May 4 count.
The Reserve Bank of India has appointed Rohit Jain as Deputy Governor, effective May 3, for a three-year term. The specific portfolio he will oversee has not yet been disclosed, making his role assignment the key detail to watch post-appointment.
India has notified the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026, barring minor children from holding two passports and moving the entire OCI registration process online with e-OCI cards. The rules also allow biometric data to be used for faster immigration clearance at border entry points.
Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has accepted the merger of seven AAP MPs into BJP, raising BJP's upper house strength to 113. AAP drops to three members, likely losing formal group recognition and key parliamentary privileges.
A federal appeals court has blocked mailing of mifepristone, the abortion pill used in most U.S. medication abortions. The ruling cuts off a key delivery channel for patients in states with limited in-person abortion access, with legal challenges expected.
Senior citizens voted in large numbers in Tamil Nadu's 2026 state election despite high temperatures, reflecting strong civic engagement. Their turnout could influence results in closely contested seats where elderly voters are actively courted by political parties.
PM Modi declared at a public rally that West Bengal's mood favours a BJP win and said he will return for an oath-taking ceremony. He attacked the Trinamool Congress government over alleged syndicate networks, political violence, and economic decline in the state.
A federal appeals court ruled that mifepristone cannot be mailed to patients, targeting the telehealth prescription model that became a primary route for abortion access after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.
India's Railway Board has set zone-wise targets to surrender or redistribute nearly 30,000 posts in 2026, 27, embedding the exercise as a formal KPI in each zone's annual performance agreement. The move reduces authorised headcount and future hiring capacity across one of the world's largest employers.
A federal appeals court granted Louisiana's request to reinstate a nationwide in-person requirement for dispensing abortion pills, ending mail and telehealth access. Patients across the country, including in states where abortion is legal, must now visit a provider in person to obtain the medication.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that mifepristone, the most-used abortion pill in the U.S., can no longer be mailed and must be dispensed only at clinics in person.