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The debate over banning children from social media in India has intensified, with experts warning that a complete ban may be difficult to enforce and could push children towards hidden accounts or unsafe platforms. While concerns over addiction, mental health, cyberbullying, and harmful content are growing, experts suggest a balanced approach involving age verification, parental supervision, digital literacy, and stricter platform accountability rather than an outright ban. The focus should be on creating safer online spaces for children. Sajai Singh, Partner at JSA Advocates and Solicitors, said age verification presents significant privacy and operational challenges. “Without invasive ID or biometric collection, platforms can only verify age in India by relying on some form of decentralized, privacy-preserving cryptographic frameworks and device-level verification,” Singh said. Potential approaches could include token-based verification systems, age estimation technologies based on facial analysis, or reliance on trusted third parties such as banks, credit bureaus, device manufacturers and app stores. However, Singh cautioned against turning platforms into repositories of highly sensitive personal data. “The idea should be not to collect and store identity documents or biometric data for age verification, as this would make platforms custodians of massive, highly sensitive databases that are prime targets for hackers,” he said. Read more

Markets regulator SEBI on Thursday (June 11) extended the timelines for merchant bankers to comply with certain provisions related to separate business units (SBUs), net worth and liquid net worth requirements, citing operational challenges faced by the industry. Siddhartha Desai, Partner at JSA Advocates and Solicitors, said that the extensions are welcome for investment bankers, as the original turnaround time, including key milestones under the SBU framework, was highly unlikely given the on-ground steps required to achieve them. Read more

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted additional time to Merchant Bankers (MBs) to comply with the amended Merchant Bankers Regulations, providing regulatory relief as intermediaries transition to the revised framework. Siddhartha Desai, Partner – JSA Advocates and Solicitors, said, “These extensions are welcoming for investment bankers as the original turnaround time including for the SBU framework milestone, was highly improbable on account of the on-ground steps required to achieve the same”. Read more

The Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) has started reshaping India’s GST litigation landscape after years of delay, but its partial rollout has created new challenges. Only limited benches are functional, while thousands of pending disputes from High Courts await transfer. Taxpayers now face mandatory pre-deposits and reduced access to writ remedies. Experts warn that GSTAT has inherited a massive backlog and needs better case management, specialised benches, and procedural reforms to prevent further delays. Shareen Gupta, Partner at JSA Advocates and Solicitors, pointed out, “A significant proportion of GST disputes are born not from genuine legal ambiguity but from poor adjudication at the departmental level.”Without systemic improvements, experts warn, the tribunal could quickly become overwhelmed. To address the volume, practitioners are calling for procedural innovation and disciplined case management. Read more

Indian law firms are capitalizing on the AI infrastructure boom, driven by significant investments from global tech giants. This growth is creating a steady demand for legal services in data centre projects, which involve complex regulatory and contractual work. As India emerges as a key hub for digital infrastructure, legal advisory in this sector is rapidly expanding. “The legal work in a typical data centre project is not just for the setup and start of operations — it is ongoing,” said Sajai Singh, partner, JSA Advocates & Solicitors. According to Sajai Singh of JSA, since regulations governing data centres and AI infrastructure are still evolving, legal advisory is not a one-time engagement but an ongoing partnership throughout the lifecycle of the project. Read more

Indian law firms are embracing “boomerang hiring” to rehire former lawyers, reducing onboarding costs and risks. This trend strengthens partnerships and endorses firm culture. Firms use alumni networks to attract talent, while some have specific criteria for rehiring, focusing on past performance and cultural fit. “We believe this is a strong endorsement of the firm’s culture, people, professionalism and reputation in the legal industry,” said Vivek K Chandy, joint managing partner at JSA. However, not every firm treats returning lawyers in the same way. Some have structured frameworks that govern when and how a “return” is considered. Read more

This story also appeared Online.

The expiration of lock-ins for 75 companies between June and September opens a window for PE and VC investors to sell shares, with $31 billion becoming tradable. Amid market volatility, staggered sales are preferred to avoid price pressure, with institutions evaluating liquidity for block trades. Read more

At a panel discussion during the London International Disputes Week 2026, participants examined the effectiveness of mediation, arbitration and litigation in resolving commercial disputes. The discussion highlighted that pre-litigation mediation in India has delivered limited results so far, despite efforts to reduce judicial backlogs. However, mediation was recognised as a growing dispute-resolution mechanism, particularly in sectors where preserving long-term business relationships is important. The panel also emphasised the need for stronger institutional support, early intervention and greater engagement from legal professionals to improve mediation outcomes. Sidharth Sethi, Partner, JSA,  said that mediation is deeply rooted in Indian tradition, including the Panchayat system and community-led dispute resolution. While commercial dispute resolution in India is presently dominated by arbitration, especially in marquee disputes, businesses are increasingly looking beyond legal victory and towards speed, lower costs, confidentiality and preservation of business relationships, he said. “The real question in India today is not whether we should go for arbitration or mediation. The question is, which method is best suited to resolve the dispute.” Read more

A panel at London International Disputes Week (LIDW) 2026 examined the future of commercial dispute resolution in India and the UK, highlighting the growing role of mediation alongside arbitration and litigation. Discussions focused on the need for faster, cost-effective and relationship-preserving dispute resolution mechanisms, concerns over rising costs and delays in arbitration, and the increasing adoption of mediation supported by legislative and institutional reforms. Participants also explored hybrid models such as Arb-Med-Arb, the importance of early intervention, and the evolving role of lawyers in helping businesses choose the most suitable dispute-resolution strategy. “Mediation is not a new concept in India. “Businesses today are not merely interested in getting a decision. They want quicker resolution, lower cost, confidentiality and most importantly preservation of future cooperation. The real question in India today is not whether we should go for arbitration or mediation. The question is which method is best suited to resolve the dispute, preserve future business cooperation and business value,” said Sidharth Sethi, Partner, JSA. Read more

A panel at London International Disputes Week (LIDW) 2026 examined the future of commercial dispute resolution in India and the UK, highlighting mediation’s growing role as businesses seek faster, more cost-effective and relationship-focused alternatives to arbitration and litigation. The discussion explored concerns over rising arbitration costs and delays, the benefits of mediation in preserving commercial relationships, and the increasing adoption of hybrid dispute-resolution models. Participants also noted that legislative reforms, institutional support and evolving business expectations are strengthening mediation’s position as a key component of modern commercial dispute resolution. “Mediation is not a new concept in India. It is deeply aligned with India’s traditional and cultural approach to conflict resolution. Modern mediation merely institutionalises principles that have existed in our society for centuries,” “The real question today is not whether we should choose arbitration or mediation. The question is which mechanism best preserves business value and future commercial cooperation,” said Sidharth Sethi, Partner, JSA. Read more

Companies in India are revising salary structures to comply with new labour codes, emphasizing allowances to maintain employees’ take-home pay. This includes offering tax-efficient benefits like meal vouchers and fuel reimbursements. Amid modest salary hikes and a challenging job market, firms aim to retain talent by expanding allowances and adjusting performance incentives. “Annual performance incentives are being positioned as a key balancing lever to offset any perceived reduction in monthly take-home pay under the new wage framework. Additionally, companies are also re-examining the frequency of variable-pay disbursements, with many moving away from traditional annual payouts towards quarterly or semi-annual cycles,” said Sonakshi Das, partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors and part of the Labour and Employment Practice. Read more

This story also appeared Online.

India has removed the 12.5% long-term capital gains tax on G-Secs for FPIs to attract investments and align with global markets. While this could lead to significant inflows and bolster foreign reserves, challenges like currency volatility and market conditions may limit immediate benefits. Experts recommend extending tax relief to other debt instruments. “Government may consider exempting tax on corporate bonds in sectors that require long term debt capital, such as Infrastructure, large scale manufacturing, and green energy,” said Kumarmanglam Vijay, Partner and Head of Practice, Direct Tax – JSA Advocates & Solicitors. It may also consider providing a window to retail investors through a separate demat account locked in for a fixed term where they can park funds intended for the longer term and receive tax free status, he added. Read more

This story also appeared Online.