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Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 and the Evolving Jurisprudence on Pre-Institution Mediation in India By Dhanaram Ramachandran | Founder, D.R. Law Chambers | 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 mandates that every commercial suit must undergo pre-institution mediation before it can be filed — unless the suit contemplates urgent interim relief. The Supreme Court has held this provision to be mandatory. But the exception for ur

The Bombay High Court's INR 1,524 Crore GST Ruling in Tata Sons v. Union of India and What It Means for Indian Business By Dhanaram Ramachandran | Founder, D.R. Law Chambers | 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On 30 April 2026, the Bombay High Court delivered a landmark judgment in Tata Sons Private Limited v. Union of India, quashing a GST demand of INR 1,524 crores raised against Tata Sons on damages paid to NTT Docomo under an international arbitral award. The Court held, with cha

The Supreme Court's May 2026 Ruling in Dhanlaxmi Bank v. Mohammed Javed Sultan and What It Means for Creditors and Businesses By Dhanaram Ramachandran| Founder, D.R. Law Chambers | 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY On 7 May 2026, the Supreme Court of India delivered an important judgment in Dhanlaxmi Bank Limited v. Mohammed Javed Sultan & Ors. (2026 INSC 460), holding that the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 cannot be used as a coercive mechanism for debt recovery. The Code, th

A Director's Guide to Personal Liability Under Indian Law By Dhanaram Ramachandran| Founder, D.R. Law Chambers | 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY One of the most dangerous misconceptions in Indian corporate practice is the belief that incorporating a company provides absolute protection from personal liability. It does not. Indian law contains multiple statutory provisions — under the Income Tax Act, the CGST Act, the Companies Act, the Negotiable Instruments Act, and other statutes

By Dhanaram Ramachandran| Founder, D.R. Law Chambers | 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The distinction between a lease and a leave and license agreement is one of the most consequential — and most commonly misunderstood — questions in Indian property law. Getting it wrong has serious legal, financial, and commercial consequences. Landlords who believe they have granted a license may find they have inadvertently created a tenancy. Businesses that sign what is labelled a 'Leave and L

The Substance-Over-Form Doctrine and the Enforceability of Memoranda of Understanding Under Indian Law By Dhanaram Ramachandran, Founder, D.R. Law Chambers | 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is one of the most commonly used — and most commonly misunderstood — commercial documents in India. Businesses routinely sign MoUs believing them to be preliminary, non-binding expressions of intent. Courts, however, have consistently held that the label on

Why Vague Agreements Are the Single Biggest Legal Risk Facing Indian Businesses By Dhanaram Ramachandran, Attorney at Law | Founder, D.R. Law Chambers | 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In over a decade of commercial law practice, six words have generated more disputes than almost any other cause: "We will sort out the details later." This article examines, through the lens of Indian statute, landmark judgments, and real-world case studies, why contractual vagueness is the most pre

- Dhanaram Ramachandran and Devi R, Advocates 1. INTRODUCTION Judgment on Admission verbatim is dealt under Order XII Rule 6 of Civil...

(2020) 30 SAcLJ 70 Determining the law governing the arbitration agreement has been a vexed question for arbitral tribunals and courts...

INTRODUCTION Intellectual Property, like any other property has been granted enough protection under several enactments. There is no...

Given the outbreak of corona virus (COVID-19), there is a definite prospect for dispute arising between Tenants and Landlords. The...