LawLoveLegal

Background of the Case The Supreme Court of India has reaffirmed and strengthened the powers of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to impose environmental compensation (EC) by holding that project cost and scale of operations are valid and relevant factors while computing compensation for environmental violations. The ruling arose from two civil appeals challenging orders of the NGT Western Zone Bench, Pune , which had imposed substantial environmental compensation on two real estate developers in Maharashtra. Facts of the Two Appeals Rhythm County Project Project Cost: ₹335 crore Environmental Compensation Imposed: ₹5 crore (approximately 2% of project cost) NGT Order Date: August 2022 Keystone Properties Project Project Cost: ₹76 crore Environmental Compensation Imposed: ₹4.47 crore (approximately 5.88% of project cost) NGT Order Date: September 2022 Both developers challenged the NGT orders before the Supreme Court, arguing that: The compensation was excessive and disproport...

Introduction: Budget 2026 and the Stability Signal The Union Budget 2026–27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman—her ninth consecutive Budget —has sent a clear policy message: tax stability over populism . While expectations of slab rationalisation ran high, the government chose continuity, announcing no change in income tax slabs , while confirming that the New Income Tax Act, 2025 will come into force from 1 April 2026 , replacing the six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961. This Budget marks a significant moment in India’s fiscal evolution, prioritising simplification, procedural reform, and targeted relief , rather than rate cuts. Constitutional Framework Governing Taxation Article 265: No Tax Without Authority of Law Article 265 of the Constitution mandates that “no tax shall be levied or collected except by authority of law.” The proposed implementation of the New Income Tax Act, 2025 directly flows from this constitutional requirement, reaffirming Parliament’s exclus...