News Updates
10% Basic Customs Duty Imposed On Mobile Phones, Charger, Battery Etc
The government has constituted an inter-ministerial committee, comprising officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Department of Commerce, Department of Telecommunication and Department of Revenue, to identify electronic, IT and telecom products that are not bound by the first generation of the Information Technology Agreement for customs duty...
Exempted Services Under UTGST Act Notified
The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, in exercise of its powers under the Union Territory Goods and Services (UTGST) Act 2017, has exempted certain services under the aforementioned Act. The same shall be effective from tomorrow, i.e. July 1.Services provided to Central, state, union territory and local bodies, services by way of pure labour works, including construction, erection...
CIC Slams PIO For Denying Pending Case Details Citing ‘Non-Availability Of Files’
Central Information Commissioner Prof M Sridhar Acharyalu, in the case of Vijendra Singh Jafa vs PIO, MOSJE, has slammed the PIO for refusing to provide information sought on grounds of non-availability of the files in question and also made recommendations to the Department of Personnel and Training, the nodal agency for the implementation of the Right to Information Act.RTI applicant VS...
Delhi Assembly Passes Resolution to Reserve 85% Seats in DU for Local Students
The Delhi Assembly on Thursday reportedly passed a unanimous resolution to reserve 85% seats for students belonging to Delhi in the colleges funded by the Delhi government, which are affiliated to the Delhi University (DU).The resolution, moved by Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia, stated, “Delhi government, fully or partially, funds 28 of the 110 affiliated institutes. The money...
MP HC Dismisses Appeal of Rape Convict Filed 20 years Back [Read Judgment]
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has held the law does not enjoin that the court shall adjourn the case if both the appellant and his lawyer are absent.With this observation the court has decided the 20-year-old criminal appeal filed by a person convicted in a rape case in absence of his lawyer on the date of hearing.While deciding the appeal, Justice Sushil Kumar Palo said “this criminal...
Bombay HC Asks MCA Whether IPL Falls Under Sports Or Commercial Activity Category
The Bombay High Court on Friday sought to know from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) whether IPL was a sports or commercial activity.This question was posed by a bench of Justice AS Oka and Justice Vibha Kankanwadi while hearing a PIL filed by Loksatta Movement, which was filed last year, highlighting water woes faced by the people of Maharashtra, especially during drought.As a result of...
Campaign Against Aadhaar Picks Up Momentum Across India
Various organisations and people's movements, including Right to Food Campaign India, Delhi Rozi Roti Adhikar Abhiyan, Right to Food Campaign Karnataka, Nir Aadhaar Collective, PUCL, and Rethink Aadhaar organised events in different districts towns and cities on Friday in protest against being forced to get services through Aadhaar.The government's notifications making Aadhaar mandatory...
Bombay HC Prevents Forest Dept From Shooting Tigress That Killed Two Persons [Read Judgment]
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has quashed an order passed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife, directing a tigress, which killed two and injured two persons, to be shot dead.The bench of Justice BP Dharmakdhikari and Justice Rohit Deo were hearing a PIL filed by Dr. Jerrvi Avinash Banait, who contended that procedures established and prescribed by the National...
MP HC sets aside Single Bench Directions on Marriage through Arya Samaj Mandir Management
Gwalior Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court on Tuesday set aside a slew of directions passed by the Single Judge of the Court, on the procedure to be followed when a couple opts to marry through the Arya Samaj. These included making it the responsibility of the management of the Arya Samaj Mandir to issue notice to the parents of the couple, invite objections, verify their age and...
CBEC Prescribes Rate Of Interest Under CGST Act
The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), in the exercise of its powers under Section 20, read with Section 50(1) and (3), Section 54(12) and Section 56, of the Integrated Central Goods and Services Tax Act, has fixed the following rate of interest:The aforementioned rate of interest shall be effective from July 1.Read the notification here       ...
In A First, Two Women Judges Adorn First Court Of Madras HC
In a first, the First Court of the Madras High Court has been adorned by two women Judges- Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice V. Bhavani Subbaroyan.Justice Indira Banerjee was appointed as the Chief Justice of the High Court in March this year. She is the second woman Judge to head the Court, after Justice Kanta Kumari Bhatnagar (June – November, 1992).Born on 24 September, 1957,...
Too Much Noise? Maharashtra Govt’s Bill Imposes Rs. 2,000 Fine On Honking In Silence Zones
The Maharashtra government, in an affidavit before the Bombay High Court, has stated that the state assembly passed a Bill to enact the Maharashtra Transport and Roads Safety Act on April 6, 2017.Once it receives presidential assent, the Bill will bring about significant changes in rules for honking in silence zones.Under Section 15 (1) of the said Act, it is contemplated that the...