The Central government notified the appointment of Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta, Judge of the Allahabad High Court, as the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court. 

He will assume charge after the superannuation of the present Chief Justice on January 9, 2026.

The Supreme Court Collegium recommended his elevation on December 18, 2025, and the President approved the proposal, as announced by the Union law minister.

Justice Gupta was the second senior-most judge at the Allahabad High Court. He was elevated as an additional judge in 2013 and became permanent in 2015.

Parliament has passed the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, introducing wide-ranging statutory reforms to India’s insurance framework.

The Bill amends key insurance legislations to permit up to 100% foreign direct investment, subject to regulatory conditions, and strengthens the statutory powers of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India.

It empowers the regulator to oversee governance standards, sales practices, and expenses of management, while introducing a stronger enforcement and penalty regime. The amendments also simplify capital and structural requirements for insurers and reinsurers and enhance statutory protection for policyholders.

The law will come into force on dates to be notified after Presidential assent.

The law ministry on January 2, 2026, issued a notification appointing Justice Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak, currently a Bombay High Court judge, as the next Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court.

He is set to assume charge after incumbent Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan demits office on January 8 upon attaining the age of 62.

His name was recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium last month, which also proposed four other judges for leadership roles in various High Courts.

Justice Sonak was appointed as a Bombay High Court judge on June 21, 2013, and is due to retire on November 27, 2026.

The Central Government has formally notified the appointment of Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo, currently a judge of the Orissa High Court, as the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court.

This follows a recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium at its December 18, 2025, meeting.

The notification was issued on January 1, 2026, and the appointment will take effect from the date Justice Sahoo assumes charge of office.

The Central Government, on January 1, issued a notification appointing Justice Revati Mohite Dere, a judge of the Bombay High Court, as the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.

Justice Revati Mohite Dere was the second senior-most judge of the Bombay High Court. Justice Revati Mohite Dere was appointed an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on 21 June 2013 and was made a permanent judge on 2 March 2016.

Her appointment will take effect from the date she assumes charge, following the transfer of the incumbent Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court.

The move comes on the basis of a recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium on December 18, 2025.

The Central Government has issued a notification appointing Justice Soumen Sen as the next Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, effective when he assumes office after the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar on January 9, 2026.

Justice Sen was the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, having taken oath on October 8, 2025, following his appointment on September 26, 2025.

The Supreme Court Collegium on 18 December 2025 recommended his transfer to the Kerala High Court as Chief Justice.

Delhi Cabinet approved the Delhi Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2026, inspired by the Central Jan Vishwas Act, which decriminalised minor violations in central laws.

The Bill converts minor, technical, and procedural offences under key Delhi statutes into civil penalties, administrative fines, and an appellate mechanism, while serious offences impacting public health, safety, and life remain unchanged.

It covers Acts including the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954; Delhi Jal Board Act, 1998; Delhi Diploma-Level Technical Education Institutions Act, 2007, among others. 

The Bill proposes a 10% fine increase every 3 years and will be introduced in the Delhi Legislative Assembly winter session. 

The Union government has appointed Senior Advocates Davinder Pal Singh, Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar, and Anil Kaushik as Additional Solicitors General of India to represent the Centre before the Supreme Court.

Their tenure will be three years from the date of assumption of charge, or until further orders.

Davinder Pal Singh has wide experience in economic offences, corruption, and cyber law matters. Kanakamedala Ravindra Kumar specialises in inter-State river disputes, public utilities, and constitutional cases.

Anil Kaushik has over 24 years of practice across civil, commercial, taxation, criminal, and constitutional law.

The Haryana Assembly has passed the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025, amending the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958.

The Bill raises the maximum daily working hours from nine to ten, while retaining the weekly cap of 48 hours. It increases the permissible overtime limit from 50 to 156 hours per quarter and extends continuous working hours without rest from five to six.

Further, establishments employing fewer than 20 workers are exempt from mandatory registration, requiring only intimation.

The State said the changes ease compliance and boost economic activity, while the Opposition flagged concerns over worker welfare.

A parliamentary standing committee is reviewing the Securities Markets Code, 2025 Bill, with a focus on the powers and scope of the proposed SEBI ombudsman for investor grievances.

The Bill envisages the designation of officers within the Securities and Exchange Board of India to address unresolved investor complaints within 180 days. Parliamentary Panel Reviews SEBI Ombudsman Powers Under Securities Markets Code Bill, 2025

Members have flagged concerns that, without clarity, the mechanism may become an additional appellate layer before the Securities Appellate Tribunal.

The review seeks to align the framework with legislative intent, strengthen investor protection, and ensure effective grievance redressal within India’s capital markets.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, seeks to address persistent delays in insolvency proceedings by tightening statutory timelines and formally codifying the clean slate principle.

Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda said the Bill aims to reduce the average resolution period to six to seven months, which is expected to improve recovery rates for creditors.

The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August 2025 and was referred to a Select Committee, which has submitted its report to Parliament.

The Supreme Court Collegium has proposed the appointment of a Kerala High Court judge as the Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court.

The recommendation was made at a Collegium meeting held on December 18, 2025, where the names of five High Court judges were cleared for appointment as Chief Justices of different High Courts.

The post of Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court fell vacant following the retirement of the incumbent on December 14, 2025.

The judge was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court in 2014, became a Permanent Judge in 2016, and also served as the Acting Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court from July 5, 2024.

Parliament has passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005.

The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha amid opposition protests and was cleared by the Rajya Sabha after a midnight debate.

The new law increases guaranteed rural employment from 100 to 125 days and introduces weekly wage payments, with compensation if wages are delayed beyond 15 days. It allows States to declare a 60-day no-work period during peak agricultural seasons.

The scheme has been converted into a centrally sponsored programme with shared Centre–State funding and will be implemented through newly constituted national and state steering committees.