Asia: Government, Public Sector

In a significant reaffirmation of individual autonomy and statutory interpretation, the Kerala High Court has held that a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from a foreign embassy...

In a recent ruling, the Division Bench of the Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench (“Bombay HC”) in Dr. Meenakshi Muthiah v. State of Maharashtra1, observed that the right to maternity leave is an integral facet of a woman’s fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India,1950 (“Constitution”) and cannot be curtailed by service bonds, contractual obligations, or administrative instructions. The Bombay HC emphasised that maternity leave cannot be treated as a break in service and that penalising a woman for availing maternity leave would undermine the dignity of motherhood and the constitutional mandate of social justice.

The NSW Court of Appeal has struck down sweeping anti-protest laws enacted after the Bondi Beach terror attack, ruling that police powers to ban public assemblies across broad geographic areas violated constitutional protections for political communication. The landmark decision examines whether governments can impose blanket restrictions on peaceful protests during times of heightened security concerns, and what constitutional limits exist on such powers.

Australia’s 2026/27 Federal Budget indicates a shift towards prioritising onshore visa applicants and reforms that target highly skilled and qualified migrants in the medium to long term.

The surge in the use of skill - and non-skill-based games is accelerating globally, particularly with the rise of online betting platforms claiming to be skill-based, which is blurring the differentiation between the two.

The Industrial Relations Code, 2020 (Act No. 35 of 2020) came into force on 21st November, 2025, consolidating three foundational labour statutes. The Code represents a significant structural...

Australia’s AML/CTF framework has been significantly reformed, expanding obligations to new sectors including real estate professionals, lawyers, accountants, and precious metal dealers.

From 1 July 2026, Australia's Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing regime will extend to property developers who sell real estate directly without engaging agents.

The intersection of India's Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has created complex legal tensions in corporate fraud cases.

The Implementation Rules of the National Security Law and their latest amendments were the focus of a recent Ming Pao news feature, where Felix Ng, Partner of Head of our Criminal Defence and Securities & Regulatory practice, provided expert insight drawing on his two decades of experience in criminal investigations.

Australia’s AML/CTF framework has been significantly reformed, expanding obligations to new sectors including real estate professionals, lawyers, accountants, and precious metal dealers.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (“DPIIT”) had issued Press Note 3 of 2020 (“PN3”), mandating prior Government approval for investments originating from entities or citizens of countries sharing land borders with India (“LBCs”), or where the beneficial owner of the investment was situated in or was a citizen of such countries.