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Labelling it unconstitutional, Supreme
Court repeals National Tax Tribunal Act
India
> National Tax Tribunal
Act > Sep 25
A five-judge constitution Bench of the
Supreme Court has struck down the National Tax Tribunal Act, on the grounds
that it encroached upon the power of the judiciary and the principle of
separation of powers. The apex court said that if judicial powers are
transferred to tribunals it would affect the basic structure of the
constitution and judicial independence.
Background:
Under this act a tribunal was set up
to decide tax-related cases by taking away jurisdiction of high courts in such
matters. The tribunal was set up under the Act to speed up decisions in tax
disputes. However, the 2005 law was stuck in litigation in high courts. All
cases were transferred to the Supreme Court for a final decision. The NTT Act
allowed the executive "extensive control" with regard to appointments
of members and procedure of the tribunal. The tribunal was envisaged to
function like National Green Tribunal (NGT) in the taxation field. The
government justified the role of non-judicial members arguing that the
tribunals needed experts in various fields in view of the technical and complex
subjects which come up before these bodies.
Hindalco to pay Rs
500-cr fine after SC coal block verdict
Corporate
> Hindalco > Sep 26
Aditya Birla Group's Hindalco
Industries Ltd will have to pay a penalty of around Rs 500 crore for coal mined
from blocks termed illegal and, subsequently, cancelled by the Supreme Court's
order. On September 24, the Supreme Court passed a verdict terming the
allocation of 214 coal mines to various private and state government-owned companies
as illegal and cancelled the allocations. It also accepted the attorney
general's recommendation to levy a penalty of Rs 295 per tonne on coal mined
till date and to be mined over the next six months till March 2015.
Several companies had chalked out plans
to create capacity in sectors like power and metals, based on the captive
linkage of coal provided by the government since 1993, through a process the
Supreme Court described arbitrary and non-transparent.
HIndalco had been allocated four coal
blocks — Mahan coal block (jointly with Essar Power), Tubed coal block (with
Tata Power), Talabira II and III coal blocks (with Mahanadi Coal Fields and
Neyveli Lignite Corp), and the Talabira I coal block.
Background:
Coal allocation scam is a political
scandal concerning the Indian government's allocation of the nation's coal
deposits to public sector entities (PSEs) and private companies by former Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh. In a draft report issued in March 2014, the
Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) office accused the Government of
India of allocating coal blocks in an inefficient manner during the period
2004-2009. Over the summer of 2012, the opposition BJP lodged a complaint
resulting in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into whether the
allocation of the coal blocks was in fact influenced by corruption.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's U.S.
visit chronicled
World
> Modi’s US Visit > Sep 28
Narendra Modi visited the United
States of America for the first time as the Indian Prime Minister on September
26th. After his arrival, in a rare gesture Modi briefly stepped out of his
convoy to greet cheering Indians who had gathered outside his hotel, the New York
Palace Hotel in Manhattan where he stayed till September 29 before moving to
Washington.
In his first official engagement,
Narendra Modi met the New York City mayor, Bill De Blassio, during which the
issues related to large cities; especially common threats of terror, policing,
public housing and crowd management in the events like the Kumbh Mela were
discussed. The meeting was also aimed at understanding how the New York Police
metamorphosed after the 9/11 terror attacks in which over 3,000 people were
killed and landmark twin towers of World Trade Centre were destroyed. Later in
the day, Modi also had a meeting with Nobel laureate and eminent cancer
specialist, Professor Harold Varmus, and invited him to visit India to assist
in health and public care research. During his 30-minute interaction with Modi,
the two discussed a wide range of public health care issues, including those
related to cancer research, vaccine and possibilities of research in India.
On the second day, Modi paid a visit
to the 9/11 memorial in New York, to commemorate Indians killed in the
terrorist attack. During his meeting with United Nations General Secretary, Ban
Ki Moon, Modi raised the issue of Kashmir and also reciprocated to the
criticism of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, over the cancellation of
bilateral talks by India. In his 32 minute speech at the United Nations general
assembly following the meeting, Modi addressed a variety of issues, including;
global terrorism, regional cooperation, amendment in international trade
agreements, et al. He also emphasised on the need to reform the United Nations,
including the Security Council by making the body more democratic and
participative in functioning. During his speech, Modi also made a pitch for
yoga by articulating its importance towards health, well-being and society at
large; Mr. Modi concluded his speech by canvassing a need for an International
Yoga Day. Furthering his 'neighbourhood first' policy, the Prime Minister held
bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka,
and discussed matters of common concern, including terrorism, while affirming
his commitment to make SAARC a strong regional block.
The following day, September 28th,
Modi addressed a huge gathering of about 18,000 Indian Americans at Madison
Square Garden where he received a warm welcome. Modi acknowledged the crowd,
and started his speech by showering praises on the Indian-American community
and commended them for their achievement in the Information Technology sector. The
recent Mars Mission, carried out by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),
also found a mention in the speech for its cost convenience and efficiency.
Further, he mentioned about various amendments and changes brought about by his
government, the Ganga cleaning drive and Mahatma Gandhi amongst other things.
The Prime Minister concluded his speech, by stating that People of Indian
Origin (PIO) will get life-long visas, the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI)
and (PIO) schemes would be merged. After his speech at the Madison Square
Garden, the PM met with an influential Jewish group where he conveyed that
India was proud of the community's acknowledgement that it has been an integral
part of Indian society for 2,000 years and never suffered any discrimination.
The day ended after Mr. Modi met with the Indian American Governor of South
Carolina, Nikki Haley and discussed issues related to economic development of
her state in sectors including automotive, IT and aerospace.
On the penultimate day of his visit,
the PM met 11 CEOs, including Indian - origin PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, Google
Chairman Eric Schmidt and Citigroup chief Michael Corbat. Mr. Modi lobbied the
need for investment in India, focusing on infrastructure, job creation and
enhancement of the quality of life for the Indian masses. The over
one-hour-long breakfast meet was followed by one-on-one meetings with six CEOs
of Boeing, KKR, BlackRock, IBM, General Electric and Goldman Sachs. After the
business meet concluded, Modi accompanied by External Affairs minister, Sushma
Swaraj met with Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary Clinton,
to discuss Indo-US relations. His New York stay concluded with a meeting with
members of the Council for Foreign Relations, after which Mr. Modi left for
Washington to attend a private dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama.
On the final day of his visit, 30th
September, he engaged with the top brass of the US administration. The day
started by paying a visit to the Lincoln memorial, Martin Luther King Jr.
memorial and the Mahatma Gandhi statue. During a stroll around the Martin
Luther King Jr Memorial, Obama and Modi emphasized what they had in common as
democratic leaders who overcame personal obstacles, campaigned as outsiders and
embraced technology as a vital tool in politics and governance. But their talks
yielded no resolutions to thorny disputes over taxes, trade and civilian
nuclear energy cooperation that have divided the United States and India in
recent years. However, enhanced security partnership to address the threat of
terrorism and heightened defence and space cooperation were the centerpiece of
expansive security engagement.
After the high summit, Mr. Modi
attended a luncheon hosted by US Vice-President Joseph Biden and US Secretary
of State John Kerry, which was also attended by Reliance Industries Chairman
Mukesh Ambani, the event had an informal tone and served the PM a much needed
breather after consequential meetings. Later in the afternoon, US Defence
Secretary Chuck Hagen in a one on one conversation with PM Modi discussed
issues relating to defence cooperation and combating terrorism. Maryland Governor Michael O'Malley also
called on Modi and discussed innovative uses of technology in governance, thus,
concluding the visiting PM's five-day visit.
Others
India pulls out
regulator's power to cap non-essential drug prices
India
> Drug Pricing > Sep 25
The Government of India has withdrawn
its authority over setting up prices of non-essential medicines. However, the
price cap on over 108 non-essential drugs by NPPA in July will not be changed.
Due to this, the profit margins of Ranbaxy Laboratories, Sanofi SA, Merck and
Co Inc, Pfizer Inc and Abbott Laboratories are likely to hit for the month of
July.
The price capping was regulated to
improve the accessibility of generic drugs across the nation where more than
80% of India's population has no health insurance while over 70% survives with
less than $2 per day.
The NPPA added 36 new drugs to the
list of 348 medicines this month earlier. The list constitutes about 30% of
medicines sold in India. The 108 non-essential drugs subject to July's price
cap is apart from the essential medicines list.
Children as young
as 13 have fled Germany to join ISIS - Report
World
> Germany > Sep 25
At least 24 children in Germany, many
of whom are as young as 13, have reportedly joined and fought the war in Syria
and Iraq for the Islamic State. Out of these 24 children who fled from Germany
to fight for the ISIS, five have returned to the country with combat
experience, noted a report, which sourced to the German Intelligence Agency.
The state security agencies have found that overall around 400 Germans have
joined the jihadists in Iraq and Syria.
The report found that among the 378
German Islamists who joined the ISIS since mid-2012, just one in four had
finished high school.
It further found that only 6% of ISIS
supporters from Germany finished post-school training and only 2% had some
higher education. The report also stated that only one in five ISIS radicals in
Germany was registered as unemployed and just 12% had a job. And those who
worked were mainly employed in low-paying jobs.
Modi launches Make in Indian campaign
India
> Make in India > Sep 25
To attract businesses from around the
world to invest and manufacture in India,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched “Make in India”, an international
marketing campaign. The campaign, 'Make in India' is aimed at making India a
manufacturing hub and economic transformation in India while eliminating the
unnecessary laws and regulations, making bureaucratic processes easier and
shorter, and make government more transparent, responsive and accountable. The
government emphasized upon the framework which include the time-bound project
clearances through a single online portal which will be further aided by the
eight-members team dedicated to answering investor queries within 48 hours and
addressing key issues including labor laws, skill development and
infrastructure.
Bullish on opportunities in India, top
US corporates, including Boeing, IBM and BlackRock expressed their keenness to
strengthen engagements with the country during their meetings with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi who promised a friendlier business environment.
They have expressed interest to
participate in diverse initiatives including those related to smart cities.
The UN climate
summit concludes
World
> UN Climate Summit > Sep 26
World leaders converged at the United
Nations in New York for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s much anticipated
Climate Summit, a lead-up to global negotiations that will take place in Lima,
Peru, in December, and culminate a year later in Paris.
India’s statement at the summit was
functional. It contained the ritual laudatory genuflections to the Prime
Minister but also highlighted some of the ongoing domestic actions that emanate
from the 2008 National Action Plan on Climate Change. But it is not at all
clear how these actions fit into the government’s overall perspective on
ecology and growth.
Leonardo DiCaprio, the United Nations’
newly appointed Messenger of Peace, addressed world leaders at UN Climate
Summit, urging them to fully address climate change, “the greatest challenge of
our existence on the planet.”
Jayalalithaa gets
four years in prison in disproportionate assets case
India
> Jayalalithaa DA Case > Sep 27
A special court in Bangalore has
convicted Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa and three others guilty in
the 18-year-old disproportionate assets case and sentenced them to four years
in prison. While the court also fined Jayalalithaa Rs.100 crore, her close aide
Sasikala Natarajan and J.Ilavarasi and her disowned foster son Sudhakaran, the
other three convicted persons in the case, were fined Rs.10 crore each. With
the sentence, Jayalalithaa will lose the post of the chief minister thereby
becoming the first serving chief minister to lose her post and also walks into
jail. Special Judge John Michael D’Cunha convicted the 66-year-old All India
Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief in a case of owning assets to the
tune Rs.66.65 crore disproportionate to her known sources of income during
1991-96 when she was chief minister for the first time.
Convicted under Prevention of
Corruption Act, she has to now approach a high court for bail before mulling
filing an appeal challenging her conviction. Unless the conviction is stayed or
overturned by a superior court, Jayalalithaa will be disqualified under the
Representation of the People Act from contesting elections for a period of 10
years - four years from the date of conviction and six years thereafter.
Jayalalithaa had to quit as chief
minister immediately after her swearing in 2001 following the Supreme Court
declaring null and void the action of the then governor Fatima Beevi appointing
her as the chief minister as she had been sentenced to two years rigorous
imprisonment in a corruption case. O. Paneerselvam, a junior minister
handpicked by her, was appointed as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. By 2002,
she was cleared of all charges and sworn-in again as the chief minister.
Indian-Israeli PMs
meet for the first time in more than a decade
World
> India -Israel > Sep 29
In the first meeting between Indian
and Israeli Prime Ministers in more than a decade, Prime Minister Modi asked
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to explain Israel’s perspective on the
Islamic State (ISIS). Mr. Modi and Mr.
Netanyahu also discussed ways of increasing bilateral ties in the areas of
agriculture, water management and urban development. Israel is one of India’s
largest defence suppliers, and Mr. Modi discussed his government’s decision to
open up Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the field to 49 per cent. He also
told Mr. Netanyahu that Israel should consider defence partnerships based in
India, in line with his “Make in India” initiative.
US court issues
summons against Modi
World
> USA
A federal court in New York has issued
summons against the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his alleged role in
presiding over the anti-Muslim pogrom in Gujarat during 2002 when he was Chief
Minister of the state.
The lawsuit, filed by the American
Justice Center (AJC), a non-profit human rights organisation identified among
the plaintiffs “two survivors of the horrific and organised violence of Gujarat
2002”, and called for a response from Mr. Modi based on the Alien Tort Claims
Act (ATCA) and the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA).
The summons document, which also
alludes to the 21-day deadline, notes that if the Prime Minster fails to answer
the attached complaint, “Judgement by default will be entered against you for
the relief demanded in the complaint,” adding that Mr. Modi was expected to
file his answer or motion with the court.
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Google inks pact
with Andhra Pradesh for state's IT vision
Corporate
> Google
Google India has signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with the Andhra Pradesh government to support AP Chief
Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's vision of transforming the state of Andhra
Pradesh to 'Digital AP'. Under the pact, Google India would work with the AP
government to get women as well as small and medium business online and help
them gain from the internet economy. The highlights of the MoU include helping
AP government make their websites mobile-ready and accessible in the local
language, promoting internet safety amongst children and government officials,
improving and getting more local language content online and collaborating with
the AP government to scale initiatives to promote digital literacy amongst
women and helping small medium businesses in AP to gain from the Internet
economy and going digital.
The MoU was signed by Google India
Vice-President and Managing Director Rajan Anandan and AP secretary Sanjay Jaju
in the presence of AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Hong Kong's
Democracy Movement: Hong Kong ready,
China isn’t
World
> Hong Kong's Democracy
Movement
Chaotic scenes stole the show from the
pomp and spectacle of Chinese National Day celebrations in Hong Kong, as
thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators harangued dignitaries and set up camp
on the fringes of the city’s politically sacrosanct Golden Bauhinia Square.
Protesters in jeans and sneakers, many
of whom had been on the streets all night, heckled a parade of the city’s
oligarchs and tycoons as they attempted to enter the Hong Kong Convention and
Exhibition Center for ceremonial speeches.
Hong Kong has been given a broad
degree of autonomy since the end of British colonial rule in 1997. But this
sophisticated, freewheeling city of 7 million is deeply suspicious of China and
unable to freely choose its own leader.
Calls for democratic reform have built
to a crescendo over the last five days, with tens of thousands of protestors
bringing several downtown locations to a standstill.
Background:
Protests and mass civil disobedience
began in Hong Kong soon after the Standing Committee of the National People's
Congress announced its decision on proposed electoral reform for the upcoming
2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive election. The Standing Committee would require a
nomination committee to pre-approve up to three electoral candidates before
proceeding to a vote involving the general population. After this election, the
Chief Executive-elect would then still need to be formally appointed by the
central government before officially taking the post. The decision also
stipulates that "the Chief Executive shall be a person who loves the
country and loves Hong Kong." These requirements are regarded by
pro-democracy activists as a potential breach of the Sino-British Joint
Declaration, which states that the Chief Executive should eventually be chosen
through elections, and the Hong Kong Basic Law, which further clarifies that
universal suffrage should be implemented for this selection.
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India, China border
stand off ends
World
> India - China Stand
Off > Oct 01
The border standoff between India and
China ended with both China and India announcing a withdrawal of troops from
the disputed area.
A meeting of the Working Mechanism for
Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) will be
convened in India on 16-17 October 2014 to discuss various issues pertaining to
the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas. This mechanism
consists of officials from external affairs ministry, home ministry, Indian
army and Indo-Tibetan border police and their Chinese counterparts.
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