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AI is increasingly being used in corporate investigations to analyse millions of documents, transactions and communications, identify anomalies and prioritise potential misconduct. An EY-JSA report notes that average internal investigations involve over 6.5 million documents, while case closure times rose 33% between 2025 and 2026. However, India faces data-readiness, privacy and governance challenges, including fragmented systems and encrypted platforms. Experts stress that AI should accelerate investigations, not replace human judgment, with findings traced to original evidence and independently verified. Read more

New-age companies are increasingly seeking to reallocate IPO proceeds towards higher-return opportunities as project execution slows and market conditions change. At least four firms listed since mid-2025 are considering shifting ₹500–700 crore. FirstCry parent Brainbees plans to reallocate ₹280 crore, while MobiKwik and Ola Electric have also revised allocations. Companies cite geopolitical tensions, currency volatility and crude prices for changing priorities. Such reallocations require shareholder approval but are viewed as strategic responses to evolving business conditions rather than poor planning. “This year, geopolitical conflicts, currency fluctuations and crude oil price volatility have disrupted pre-IPO projections across sectors,” said Siddhartha Desai, a principal associate at law firm JSA, where he specializes in public and private capital market transactions. “Promoters and boards are realizing that sticking rigidly to original IPO end-use projections often does not make financial sense given the volatile market,” he added, while explaining how, historically, companies rarely changed their stated IPO object clauses, often forcing underperforming plans forward. Desai said altering capital plans helps protect project internal rates of return and operational metrics, aiding management teams in securing shareholder approval. Read more

Fortune India’s 2026 study identifies 20 rupee trillionaires, with their combined wealth reaching ₹52.36 lakh crore. It attributes their rise to diversification, capital deployment, entrepreneurship, global expansion, regulatory reforms and digital infrastructure. Business families including Ambani, Adani, Jindal, Bajaj and Birla are increasingly investing in emerging sectors such as AI, renewables and digital businesses. The article also highlights succession planning as a key transformation, alongside strategic use of debt to fund expansion and build the next generation of family-led enterprises. The spike in wealth is the result of a gradual shift from a highly-controlled economy to one that facilitates entrepreneurship, investment, and scale, says Varun Sriram, partner, JSA Advocates and Solicitors. “The liberalisation of FDI policy and the development of Sebi’s regulatory framework have enabled Indian businesses to access both domestic and global capital more efficiently.” Read more

India’s government told the Supreme Court it plans to amend the IT Rules to prevent users under 18 from independently creating social-media accounts, relying on Section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, under which minors lack contractual capacity. The proposed framework could require verified parental consent and age verification, raising significant privacy, technical and compliance challenges. The court is considering statutory rules rather than voluntary guidelines, while the government has yet to specify the final verification mechanism. Sajai Singh, a partner at JSA Advocates and Solicitors, said that age verification “presents significant privacy and operational challenges” for India’s internet user base at its current scale. Read more

India’s intensified focus on food safety has led to increased demand for compliance services as businesses seek to avoid regulatory penalties and reputational harm. This shift is driven by heightened inspections, social media scrutiny, and global import bans, prompting businesses to adopt stricter safety measures and more frequent audits. Stepped-up enforcement is also generating more work for lawyers. At leading national law firm JSA Advocates & Solicitors, clients that once sought advice on food-safety rules once or twice a year are now checking in as often as monthly, according to partner Saurya Bhattacharya. The firm is also fielding new inquiries from businesses seeking to strengthen compliance or respond to enforcement notices. Read more

This quote also appeared in Mint and Eflip

Small food businesses face challenges due to increased regulatory scrutiny, with compliance costs extending beyond licence fees. While maintaining food safety standards is crucial, recent reforms aim to ease procedural burdens. Consistent enforcement and accessible compliance could encourage formalisation, helping businesses like Vijay’s navigate regulations without resorting to informality. Businesses also have to maintain hygiene, sanitation, safe water and food storage, waste disposal, testing and documentation. And the bigger burden can come from recurring expenditure needed to meet food-safety standards, said Fatema Kachwalla, Partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors.“The real burden on small businesses is often not the licence fee itself, but the cumulative cost of meeting multiple regulatory requirements,” Kachwalla told Outlook Business. “For a small outlet operating on narrow margins, these recurring expenses can be significant,” she added. Read more

The article discusses the challenges of accessing CCTV footage as evidence due to overwriting and legal restrictions. The Allahabad High Court ruling highlights the limitations of obtaining footage through RTI requests. Citizens are advised to act swiftly to preserve footage by contacting relevant authorities, though the process can be cumbersome. A standardized preservation mechanism is needed. Read more

This quote also appeared in Odisha Today

The proposed expansion of Sebi’s board aims to address capacity issues amid growing market complexities but lacks an independent selection process, relying on non-binding government rules. Experts stress the need for regulatory independence and specialized expertise, highlighting that merely increasing board size without these safeguards may not effectively meet emerging challenges.  “With emerging challenges on multiple fronts, the number of board members is required to be increased,” Pulkit Sukhramani, partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors. “However, while increasing the numbers, focus should be on bringing in members with varied domain expertise. This is not an either-or question. Quantity and quality, both require attention.” Read more

Sify Infinit Spaces’ IPO is delayed due to a valuation gap, with the company seeking 40,000 crore and investors offering less. The data center sector’s growth potential is high, but investors remain cautious, focusing on current earnings over future AI-driven growth. Recent market conditions and ESDS Software Solutions’ listing have influenced valuation dynamics. India’s DC sector has a compelling growth story, but institutional investors are becoming increasingly valuation conscious, according to Prakriti Jaiswal, Partner, JSA Advocates & Solicitors. “The challenge is the gap between future growth assumptions and present-day financial performance,” she said, adding that investors are willing to back scalable digital infrastructure, yet they are reluctant to pay premium multiples for capacity in a business where real profits are several years away. In many cases, DCs are seeking valuations based on future AI-driven demand, while public market investors are underwriting businesses based on current earnings and execution risks, she said. Read more

This quote also appeared in Trading View

India’s infrastructure financing landscape is transforming with diverse funding sources and policy reforms. Key trends include the rise of InvITs, bond markets, and green finance. Challenges like land acquisition and regulatory risks persist. Renewable energy and digital infrastructure are poised for significant investment, while a collaborative approach among financial institutions is crucial for sustainable growth. “SEBI has been extremely proactive in understanding industry requirements. It has revised the InvIT regulations to ease operational flexibility and provide the right impetus for the growth of InvITS.” Karan Mitroo and Ankita Parasar, Partner, JSA. “We have an extremely dynamic set of regulators in both RBI and SEBI, which have time and again shown how to draw a balance between promoting growth while protecting stakeholder interests and ensuring proper governance. The dual RBI regulations on project finance and acquisition finance have been at the core of discussions in recent times. The RBI regulations on project finance have been tailored based on the central bank’s learnings from past experiences to safeguard bank money being used for under-construction projects.” Read more

The article discusses the complexities of serving notice periods after resignation. While notice period buyouts depend on employment contracts, employers cannot legally force employees to serve the full period. Instead, they can seek monetary compensation for breaches. Legal frameworks and employment agreements primarily dictate notice period terms. Gerald Manoharan, Partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors, told ET that the position can be different when the employment contract itself gives the employee two alternatives. If the agreement says employment can be terminated by either serving the stipulated notice or making a payment in lieu of notice, the employee can exercise either option. In such a situation, the employer cannot insist that the employee serve the notice period. Manoharan said the new Labour Code, specifically the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, does not deal with resignations. It sets out notice and compensation requirements for terminations initiated by employers. Read more

This story also appeared in Newspoint by TOI, 7 Globe News,  G Plus India News, MSN India and Odisha Today

Indian packaged-food companies are reformulating products to reduce unhealthy ingredients in anticipation of new FSSAI regulations. This involves complex changes and is seen as a commercial priority. Multinational companies are also advancing nutrition goals in India, with zero- and low-sugar drinks gaining popularity. Saurya Bhattacharya, Partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors, said reformulation may require changes to suppliers, contracts, manufacturing processes and capital deployment. These decisions are especially sensitive in a market built around fixed price points such as ₹10, where even a small ingredient or packaging change can affect margins. Read more