Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Akshay Jaitly Author-Name-First: Akshay Author-Name-Last: Jaitly Author-Email: akshay@trustbridge.in Author-Workplace-Name: TrustBridge Rule of Law Foundation Author-Name: Charmi Mehta Author-Name-First: Charmi Author-Name-Last: Mehta Author-Email: charmimehta.frg@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Rishika Ranga Author-Name-First: Rishika Author-Name-Last: Ranga Author-Email: rishikark94@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: TrustBridge Rule of Law Foundation Author-Name: Renuka Sane Author-Name-First: Renuka Author-Name-Last: Sane Author-Email: renuka@trustbridge.in Author-Workplace-Name: TrustBridge Rule of Law Foundation Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Karthik Suresh Author-Name-First: Karthik Author-Name-Last: Suresh Author-Email: mailkarthiksuresh@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Froum Title: Improving electricity regulation in Tamil Nadu Abstract: Electricity reform in Tamil Nadu faces many difficulties. One element of this is the problem of regulation. The anticipated behaviour of the regulator in the future constitutes one element of the negative environment which shapes the hesitation of the private sector to invest. In this paper, we bring knowledge from the field of regulatory theory, which has been developed in India over the last 20 years, to shed new light on the problems of electricity regulation in Tamil Nadu. Some of the problems identified here are rooted in the drafting of the Electricity Act, 2003, which cannot be changed by policymakers in Tamil Nadu. However many of the problems can be addressed using policy levers available to policymakers in Tamil Nadu. Length: 23 pages Creation-Date: 2025-01 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Jaitlyetal_rp_improvingElectricityRegulationinTamilNadu.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 37 Classification-JEL: K2, K3, L5, L9, Q4 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:37 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Akshay Jaitly Author-Name-First: Akshay Author-Name-Last: Jaitly Author-Email: akshay@trustbridge.in Author-Workplace-Name: TrustBridge Rule of Law Foundation Author-Name: Renuka Sane Author-Name-First: Renuka Author-Name-Last: Sane Author-Email: renuka@trustbridge.in Author-Workplace-Name: TrustBridge Rule of Law Foundation Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Electricity reforms in the economic strategy of Tamil Nadu Abstract: Discussions about the electricity sector have traditionally taken place within a specialised community of experts on electricity. In this paper, we broaden the discussion to look at the problems of the electricity sector in Tamil Nadu from the viewpoint of the economic growth strategy of Tamil Nadu. Electricity investment in Tamil Nadu has faltered. Electricity availability could potentially hamper growth in coming years. Renewable electricity will become particularly important for exporting, and directly connects into the success of Tami Nadu in exporting. There are a group of feedback loops which are playing upon the difficulties of the status quo, which are intensifying the problems of the electricity sector. When we think of the path to a decarbonised electricity sector, a great wave of investment and risk-taking is required. This can only come from the private sector, which commensurately requires 'investibility': a trusted environment of the rules of the game which elicit their confidence. To get to this, policy makers need to grapple with the problems of under-pricing of electricity. While there are many problems in the Tamil Nadu economy, the electricity sector looms large in making a material difference to the outcomes. We sketch a seven part feasible path to reform. Length: 29 pages Creation-Date: 2025-02 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Jaitlyetal_ElectricityReformsintheEconomicStrategyofTamilNadu.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 38 Classification-JEL: Q4, H1 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:38 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: K. P. Krishan Author-Name-First: K. P. Author-Name-Last: Krishan Author-Email: kpk1959@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Retired civil servant Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Susan Thomas Author-Name-First: Susan Author-Name-Last: Thomas Author-Email: sthomas.entp@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Diya Uday Author-Name-First: Diya Author-Name-Last: Uday Author-Email: diyaudaypatkar@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Harsh Vardhan Author-Name-First: Harsh Author-Name-Last: Vardhan Author-Email: harshv89@yahoo.com Author-Workplace-Name: Independent consultant Title: Incremental reform of banking law in India Abstract: A banking sector regulator must be non-partisan and separate from government. However, the banking sector in India comprises banks of many kinds: private banks, public sector banks, cooperative banks, and regional rural banks. The laws that govern the sector have evolved to grant special powers over some categories of banks to the Union government, thereby, diluting or sometimes even nullifying the power of the Indian banking regulator, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), over these banks. In most cases, the power of the RBI has been diluted or nullified in respect of public sector banks and the State Bank of India. This is not desirable from the perspective of ownership neutral regulation and creates an unfair playing field for banks in the sector. It also raises serious conflict of interest concerns, where the government is both a borrower and regulator, can influence the functioning of some banks. This article examines the legal provisions that undermine the regulatory powers of the RBI including on shareholding, appointment of directors, winding up and making schemes. It argues for an ownership-neutral regulatory framework emphasising the need for greater autonomy for the RBI, and the creation of of a clear separation between the governments borrowing and regulatory role. The aim is to chart the pathway towards a more robust regulation of the banking sector in India. Length: 22 pages Creation-Date: 2025-05 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Krishnanetal_bankPrivatisation.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 39 Classification-JEL: K39 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:39 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Rounak Hande Author-Name-First: Rounak Author-Name-Last: Hande Author-Email: rounak.xkdr@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Ayush Patnaik Author-Name-First: Ayush Author-Name-Last: Patnaik Author-Email: ayushpatnaik@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Susan Thomas Author-Name-First: Susan Author-Name-Last: Thomas Author-Email: sthomas.entp@gmail.com Title: Shedding light on the Russia-Ukraine War Abstract: With the Russia-Ukraine war evolving into a prolonged war of attrition, the functioning of the two economies has become central. A small but growing literature uses alternative data to measure economic activity, responding to the limitations of official statistics. In this paper, we use nighttime lights ("NTL") data to track economic changes in both countries. Ukraine's NTL has fallen by 50% compared to 2022 levels. In contrast, Russia's aggregate NTL showed virtually no change between 2022 and 2025. Within Russia, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, which produces 90% of the country's gas, recorded substantial NTL growth despite reports of declining national gas production. We also identify growth reversals in regions hundreds of kilometres from the Ukrainian border, likely reflecting the effects of standoff weapons. Similar reversals appear along Russia's Western European border but not along other international frontiers, suggesting uneven enforcement of sanctions. Over the war years, Ukraine's economic activity has shifted westward, while Russia's has moved eastward. Length: 42 pages Creation-Date: 2025-08 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Handeetal_russiaNtl.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 40 Classification-JEL: R11, F51, C80, P25 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:40 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Pavithra Manivannan Author-Name-First: Pavithra Author-Name-Last: Manivannan Author-Email: pavithra.manivannan4@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Are Tribunals Still Relevant? Rethinking Adjudicatory Design in India Abstract: Tribunals were expected to deliver better outcomes than traditional courts on three counts: speed, expertise, and cost. In practice, they have largely morphed into courts with limited subject-matter jurisdiction. Vacancies, lack of expertise, and procedural delays have eroded their supposed advantage. The result is a fragmented adjudicatory landscape that consumes resources without delivering better outcomes. Reform efforts, whether abolition, consolidation, or design tweaks, have lacked evidence and a holistic perspective of the judicial system. This paper highlights the need for systematic evaluation of tribunals as a starting point and makes the case for building institutional capacity to undertake such assessments. It then draws on examples from the United States and the United Kingdom to propose reform pathways that are sensitive to the nature of disputes and the degree of judicial function they require. Length: 12 pages Creation-Date: 2025-09 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Manivannan_indianTribunals.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 41 Classification-JEL: K, K41, K49 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:41 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Abhishek Seth Author-Name-First: Abhishek Author-Name-Last: Seth Author-Email: abhishekseth748@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Author-Name: Manish Kumar Singh Author-Name-First: Manish Author-Name-Last: Singh Author-Email: mks344@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, xKDR Forum Author-Name: Diya Uday Author-Name-First: Diya Author-Name-Last: Uday Author-Email: diyaudaypatkar@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Are property taxes buoyant? Evidence from Indian states Abstract: Property tax is the most important source of own revenue for Indian cities, yet it has failed to keep pace with rapid urban economic growth. In this paper, we address this gap in two steps: first, we measure whether property taxes in India are buoyant, that is, whether they rise proportionately with income; and second, we examine whether buoyancy differs systematically across valuation systems - Annual Rental Value (ARV), Unit Area Value (UAV), and Capital Value (CV). Using a balanced panel of 2,470 Urban Local Bodies in 23 states (2018-19 to 2022-23) from the City-Finance portal, we estimate buoyancy via fixed-effects regressions linking property tax demand to nominal GSDP. Our findings suggest modest overall buoyancy (0.96), with ARV outperforming CV and UAV. Robustness checks confirm the pattern, highlighting that valuation implementation quality, not statutory form, drives revenue responsiveness in rapidly urbanizing economies. Length: 35 pages Creation-Date: 2025-10 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Sethetal_propertyTaxBouyancy.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 42 Classification-JEL: H2, H71, H72, C23, R51 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:42 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Vikram Aggarwal Author-Name-First: Vikram Author-Name-Last: Aggarwal Author-Email: viki@google.com Author-Workplace-Name: Google Author-Name: Jay Kulkarni Author-Name-First: Jay Author-Name-Last: Kulkarni Author-Email: jayvilaskulkarni@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Aakriti Narang Author-Name-First: Aakriti Author-Name-Last: Narang, Author-Email: narangaakriti9@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Aditi Mascarenhas Author-Name-First: Aditi Author-Name-Last: Mascarenhas Author-Email: mascarenhasaditi@gmail.com, Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Siddarth Raman Author-Name-First: Siddarth Author-Name-Last: Raman Author-Email: raman.siddarth@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Susan Thomas Author-Name-First: Susan Author-Name-Last: Thomas Author-Email: sthomas.entp@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Information Extraction from Fiscal Documents using LLMs Abstract: Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated remarkable capabilities in text comprehension, but their ability to process complex, hierarchical tabular data remains underexplored. We present a novel approach to extracting structured data from multi-page government fiscal documents using LLM-based techniques. Applied to large annual fiscal documents from the State of Karnataka in India, our method achieves high accuracy through a multi-stage pipeline that leverages domain knowledge, sequential context, and algorithmic validation. Traditional OCR methods work poorly with errors that are hard to detect. The inherent structure of fiscal tables, with totals at each level of the hierarchy, allows for robust internal validation of the extracted data. We use these hierarchical relationships to create multi-level validation checks. We demonstrate that LLMs can read tables and also process document-specific structural hierarchies, offering a scalable process for converting PDF-based fiscal disclosures into research-ready databases. Our implementation shows promise for broader applications across developing country contexts. Length: 6 pages Creation-Date: 2025-11 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Kulkarnietal-acm_icaif.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 43 Classification-JEL: H6, H7, Y10 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:43 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Ayush Patnaik Author-Name-First: Ayush Author-Name-Last: Patnaik Author-Email: ayushpatnaik@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Nadia Enhaili Author-Name-First: Nadia Author-Name-Last: Enhaili Author-Email: nadia.enhaili@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Simon Fraser University Author-Name: Siddhant Chaudhary Author-Name-First: Siddhant Author-Name-Last: Chaudhary Author-Email: urssidd@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Chennai Mathematical Institute Author-Name: Shikhar Mishra Author-Name-First: Shikhar Author-Name-Last: Mishra Author-Email: shikharmishra10@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Iulia Dumitru Author-Name-First: Iulia Author-Name-Last: Dumitru Author-Email: iuliadmtru@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: Politehnica University of Bucharest Title: Survey.jl - An Efficient Framework for Analysing Complex Surveys Abstract: Estimating variances in survey data analysis is challenging due to the complex nature of survey designs. It is typically done through resampling methods like bootstrapping, which can be computationally intensive. The Survey.jl package leverages Julia to provide an efficient framework for these resampling techniques, facilitating faster survey data analysis. Length: 4 pages Creation-Date: 2025-11 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Patnaiketal_surveyjlAnEfficientFramework.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 33 Classification-JEL: Y9 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:33 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Arbind Modi Author-Name-First: Arbind Author-Name-Last: Modi Author-Email: arbind.modi@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Ajay Shah Author-Name-First: Ajay Author-Name-Last: Shah Author-Email: ajayshah@mayin.org Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Title: Input Tax Credit and refunds under GST in India: Conceptual and legal framework Abstract: This paper examines the conceptual foundations and legal architecture of input tax credit (ITC) and refunds under India's Good and Services Tax (GST). It highlights how current design features have diluted the GST's character as a neutral, consumption-based value-added tax. While a well-functioning VAT hinges on seamless ITC across goods, services and capital goods, India's regime embeds on extensive restrictions, delayed credit flow, and narrowly circumscribed refund entitlements. These provisions create cascading, raise effective tax incidence, distort production and trade neutrality, and weaken the self-enforcing compliance mechanism intrinstic to the invoice-credit method. Comparative evidence from OECD and emerging economics shows that India's approach is unique in its own way, with refund design and blocked functioning as de facto taxes on investmenet and intermediate production. The paper argues that restoring neutrality requires full and immediate ITC, rationalized rates to reduce inversion, and automated refund administration. Such reforms are essential for reducing hidden cascading, improving competitiveness, and realigning India's GST with global best practice. Length: 25 pages Creation-Date: 2025-12 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025ModiShah_GST.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 44 Classification-JEL: H2, H20, H21, H77 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:44 Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Pavithra Manivannan Author-Name-First: Pavithra Author-Name-Last: Manivannan Author-Email: pavithra.manivannan4@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Gokul K. Sunoj Author-Name-First: Gokul K. Author-Name-Last: Sunoj Author-Email: gokulksunoj@gmail.com Author-Workplace-Name: xKDR Forum Author-Name: Bhargavi Zaveri-Shah Author-Name-First: Bhargavi Author-Name-Last: Zaveri-Shah Author-Email: bhargavi@theprofesseer.com Author-Workplace-Name: The Professeer Title: What comes after Judgement Day Abstract: How long does it take to enforce a court decree in India? This paper seeks to answer this question for civil and commercial litigation and arbitration awards. We measure the duration and mode of disposal of about 20,000 applications filed before the Bombay High Court for the enforcement of court decrees during an eight year period. We find that it takes close to two years to enforce a decree in India. While this finding aligns with anecdotal estimates, we dig deeper to find how such application proceedings are disposed of. We find that a bulk of the execution applications are dismissed by the court not on merit but for reasons of non-prosecution. We offer plausible explanations for such poor enforcement outcomes. Length: 24 pages Creation-Date: 2025-12 File-URL: https://papers.xkdr.org/papers/2025Manivannanetal_executionApplications_bhc.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2025 Number: 46 Classification-JEL: K40, K41 Handle: RePEc:anf:wpaper:46