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Fri, 31 January 2020
GST collection crosses Rs 1.1 lakh cr in Jan
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23:32 GST collection crosses Rs 1.1 lakh cr in Jan
GST collections have crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore mark for the third month in a row in January with improved compliance and plugging of evasion, sources said on Friday.
According to provisional numbers, total GST revenue was Rs 1.1 lakh crore in January, they said.
The GST collection is in line with the target set by Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey after a high-level meeting with senior tax officials earlier this month.
Domestic GST collection during the month so far is around Rs 86,453 crore while Rs 23,597 crore has been collected through IGST and cess collection.
The total collection of GST revenue in December has come at Rs 1.03 lakh crore.
Going by the provisional numbers, growth in the domestic GST collection comes about to 11.5 per cent while the IGST on import of goods contracted by 6 per cent, sources said.
The number of GSTR 3B returns filed till Thursday was 82.8 lakh.
The government this month set an ambitious target of Rs 1.1 lakh crore monthly GST revenue for the remaining part of the current fiscal and asked taxmen to step up efforts to achieve the goal.
To augment revenue collection, the Revenue Secretary revised GST collection target to Rs 1.25 lakh crore for the last month of this financial year with specific focus on fraudulent input tax credit (ITC) claims as found in data analytics review.
It was empahsised GST authorities would look into the mismatch of supply and purchase invoices, data analytics of mismatch in GSTR-1, GSTR-2A and GSTR-3B, failure of filing returns, over invoicing, recuperation of fake or excess refunds availed beyond the permissible limits etc.
Around 40,000 companies have been red-flagged for excess or fraudulent ITC availment and other tax related wrongful issues through data analytics, out of 1.2 crore GST registrants and focus would be on these identified taxpayers, sources said. -- PTI
22:44 Kalakshetra withdraws nod for Krishna's event
Kalakshetra Foundation, anautonomus body under the Culture Ministry has withdrawn its permission to noted Carnatic music vocalist T M Krishna's book release function slated to be held on February 2 on its premises in Chennai.
While the revocation of the nod has led to a volley of protests in the social media, the organisers have said that the event will now be held at another premises in Chennai on the same day and time (6.45 pm).
The reputed institution, devoted to the promotion of performing and visual arts and music made known its decision in a letter to the publisher of the book 'Sebastian & Sons: A Brief History of Mrdangam Makers'.
Mrdangam, known as 'mirudangam' in Tamil is a percussion instrument. Citing the book review in a daily, K F Director RevathiRamachandran said, it 'contains certain statements relating to the book which touch controversial issues and certainly have a lot of political overtones'.
The institution was unaware of the 'controversies surrounding the subject matter of the book', at the time of renting its auditorium for the book release, she noted.
The foundation said it was a government organisation and hence cannot allow any programme that may instigate political, cultural and social disharmony.
"We therefore regret to inform you that we hereby withdraw our permission given for usage of our auditorium for the book release function.
"The hire charges are remitted back to the bank account from which it was received," she said.
The withdrawal of permission triggerred a bout of protests in the social media and Krishna said he was 'saddened and baffled' by the foundation taking back its permission.
The book celebrated generations of mirudangam makers,their travails and how they were marginalised.
In a tweet, he said the venue for the launch of the book has been shifted to Asian College of Journalism in Chennai. -- PTI
21:35 Economic Survey sources data from Wikipedia
The Economic Survey 2019-20 has sourced certain data from Wikipedia, which is not considered as reliable source of information.
Besides Wikipedia, the Survey has also relied on data from other private sources such as Bloomberg, ICRA, CMIE, Indian Institute of Management (Bengaluru), Forbes and the BSE.
Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia, created and edited by volunteers around the world and hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation.
Other sources from which data have been used include heritage.org, fraserinstitute.org and Ambit Capital.
Data have also been sourced from International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Reserve Bank of India, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, CIBIL, National Sample Survey Office, Department of Consumer Affairs, United Nations, SIDBI.
The Survey is also marked by quotes from Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Rig Veda, Adam Smith's 'An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations', Kautilya's Arthashastra, and Tamil saint and philosopher Thiruvalluvar's treatise The Thirukural.
The Economic Survey advocates 10 new ideas that benefit markets as well as the economy. -- PTI
20:37 AI rescue flight reaches Wuhan; to leave on Sat
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Special Secretary (Health), Sanjeeva Kumar on Friday said that 366 people are to be brought from China to India tomorrow.
"366 people are to be brought from China to India tomorrow. They will be kept in isolation for 14 days at the ITBP center in Chhawla. Safdarjung Hospital has kept 50 beds for critical patients," said Kumar.
As part of the government's proactive measures to rescue Indian citizens from China's Wuhan and keep them at an isolated place for a fixed period as a precautionary measure, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has created a residential facility in the national capital.
Meanwhile, Air India special flight which departed earlier in the day from Delhi has landed in Wuhan, China for the evacuation of Indians. -- ANI
19:30 Saddened to see them escaping gallows: Kejriwal
It saddens me that convicts in Nirbhaya case are escaping death sentence by using legal loopholes, says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
He said that there's a dire need to amend laws, so that hanging takes place within six months in rape cases.
A Delhi court on Friday stayed the death warrant of the four convicts in the gang rape and murder of the 23-year-old woman on a plea seeking deferment of the hanging on the grounds that the convicts are yet to exhaust their legal remedies.
19:03 Modi asks NDA leaders to back CAA strongly
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that his government has no reason to feel defensive about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and asked National Democratic Alliance leaders to back the measure strongly in Parliament.
A Bharatiya Janata Party ally told PTI after the meeting that Modi asked the NDA leaders, who met to strategise as Parliament's Budget Session began in New Delhi on Friday, to aggressively take on the opposition's charge that the amended citizenship law discriminated against Muslims and said that minorities are as much 'ours as other citizens are'.
The government has done nothing wrong as far as the amended Citizenship Act is concerned and has no reason to feel defensive about, he said, according to the ally, who did not wish to be quoted.
The NDA leaders also hailed the prime minister for the Bodo accord and settlement of Bru tribe members in Tripura.
Opposition leaders have said they will raise the issue of nationwide protests against the CAA in the session, as they accused the Modi government of arrogance and making no effort to reach out to protestors. -- PTI
18:25 JD-U, SAD urge Shah to drop questions seeking parents' details in NPR
The Janta Dal-United on Friday urged the government during an National Democratic Alliance meeting on Friday to remove questions seeking details of parents in the National Population Register (NPR) questionnaire.
JD-U leader Lalan Singh said he raised the issue at the NDA meeting and Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the matter will be discussed.
Singh said the Shiromani Akali Dal, another BJP ally, also supported the JD-U on the issue.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar had earlier clarified that people are free to not answer questions about their parents such as place and date of birth in the NPR exercise. -- PTI
18:20 Hopes dashed but will fight: Nirbhaya's mother
Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi on Friday said she will continue her fight till the convicts in the 2012 gang rape and murder case are hanged, shortly after a Delhi court postponed the execution of death warrants till further order.
Devi told reporters her 'hopes are dashed' but she will continue her fight till the convicts are hanged. -- PTI
17:50 Nirbhaya convicts NOT to be hanged tomorrow
JUST IN: A Delhi court stays execution of 2012 Delhi gang rape case convicts till further orders.
They will scheduled to be hanged on Saturday.
Asha Devi, mother of the victim, says, "The lawyer of the convicts, A P Singh has challenged me saying that the convicts will never be executed. I will continue my fight. The government will have to execute the convicts." -- ANI
17:11 SC dismisses Nirbhaya convict's juvenile claim
The Supreme Court has dismissed the plea of Pawan Gupta, one of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape case, claiming that he was a juvenile in th case. The court dismissed Gupta's petition claiming that he was a juvenile when the offence took place. The review plea filed earlier in the day was taken up for consideration in-chamber by a bench comprising Justices R Banumathi, Ashok Bhushan and A S Bopanna.
16:53 ITBP sets up 600-bedded quarantine facility in south Delhi
Border-guarding force ITBP has prepared a 600-bedded facility in Delhi to quarantine and provide basic medical care to those suspected to have been affected by the new coronavirus, a senior official said on Friday. The facility is operational in an Indo-Tibetan Border Police camp in south-west Delhi's Chhawla area that houses ITBP sector headquarters, its spokesperson Vivek Kumar Pandey said.
A team of 25 doctors -- 15 from Safdarjung hospital and 10 from ITBP --will be at the facility, which has about 600 beds and has been prepared in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, he said. Special arrangements have been made to host children and women at the facility, an unoccupied residential unit for ITBP personnel, Pandey said.
The affected, including those being evacuated from China's Hubei Province on board a special Air India aircraft, will be brought to the facility after first-level screening at the airport, he said.
The building complex has operational kitchens and bathrooms apart from modern amenities like Wi-Fi. The 90,000-personnel-strong force is primarily tasked to guard the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control with China under the command of the Union Home Ministry. The Army has set up a similar facility in nearby Manesar. -- PTI
16:20 Dummy hanging of Nirbhaya convicts held at Tihar
Dummy execution of the convicts of 2012 Delhi gang-rape case was conducted in the jail on Friday, Tihar Jail officials said.Earlier in the day, Tihar jail authorities had told a Delhi court that the convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case can be hanged separately.
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana is hearing the convicts' plea seeking a stay on the execution, which is scheduled for February 1.Public prosecutor Irfan Ahmad, representing Tihar Jail authorities, submitted a status report in the matter and said that the convicts in the matter can be hanged separately and that there is no illegality in it.Four convicts in the matter -- Akshay Thakur, Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Kumar Sharma -- are scheduled to be hanged on February 1.
Recently, Vinay Sharma has filed a mercy petition in the matter.Earlier, mercy petition of convict Mukesh was rejected by the President. He later challenged the rejection of his mercy petition in the Supreme Court but to no avail. -- ANI
16:14 Delhi Police ask for 45 documents for opening restaurant
Delhi Police ask for as many as 45 documents before giving its clearance for opening an eatery in the national capital as gainst only 19 to buy a gun, the Economic Survey said on Friday while making a case for doing away with unnecessary controls.
According to the National Restaurants Association of India, a total of 36 approvals are required to open a restaurant in Bengaluru, 26 in Delhi and 22 in Mumbai. In contrast, China and Singapore require only four licences to open a restaurant.
"Delhi requires a 'Police Eating House Licence' from Delhi Police that asks for 45 documents compared to just 19 needed to buy a gun. The scope for streamlining is clear," according to the Economic Survey 2019-20 tabled in Parliament. Delhi and Kolkata require a 'Police Eating House Licence', it said adding the number of documents needed to obtain this licence from Delhi Police is 45 -- far more than the number of documents required for a license to procure new arms and major fireworks, 19 and 12, respectively.
It also said that large scope for improvement is in the four parameters, where India lags behind -- Starting Business Registering Property, Paying Taxes, and Enforcing Contracts. The World Bank ranks 190 countries on doing business index based on ten parameters. -- PTI
15:51 Army sets up quarantine for Wuhan returnees
The Indian Army has set up a quarantine facility in Manesar near Delhi to keep around 300 Indian students being evacuated from China's Hubei province in view of the outbreak of coronavirus.
Officials said the Indian Army has created the facility near Manesar where the students can be monitored for any signs of infection for a duration of two weeks by a qualified team of doctors and staff members.
An Air India flight was sent to Wuhan on Friday to bring back the Indian students stuck in Hubei province, the epicentre of coronavirus. The flight is expected to reach India at around 2 am on Saturday. The procedure of screening and quarantine will comprise two steps. The first one will be at the Indira Gandhi International airport followed by quarantine at Manesar, an official said. "If any individual is suspected to be infected, he/she will be shifted to the isolation ward at Base Hospital Delhi Cantonment," he said. -- PTI
15:18 Jamia student injured in shootout discharged from hospital
The Jamia Millia Islamia student who was injured in firing in the Jamia area yesterday, was discharged from Jai Parkash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre at AIIMS on Friday.
According to a senior doctor, Shadab Farooq's condition was stable at the time of discharge.
Farooq was injured after a man opened fire in Jamia area on Thursday, where protests were going on against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The juvenile who opened fire hails from Greater Noida's Jewar according to Police. He was later detained and is being questioned by the police.
Farooq, an MA Mass Communication student, had sustained injuries in his left hand.
"Student has sustained injuries in his left hand. Doctors say he is out of danger. Apprehended person (Gopal) is being questioned," South-East District (Delhi) DCP Chinmoy Biswal had told ANI when asked about the firing incident.
15:12 Won't tolerate Pak's interference in Delhi polls: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said elections in Delhi are an internal matter of India and no interference by Pakistan, the biggest sponsor of terrorism, would be tolerated.
Responding to a tweet by Pakistan's Minister of Science and Technology, Fawad Hussain, the chief minister also said no matter how hard Pakistan tries, it cannot attack the unity of this country.
"Narendra Modiji is the Prime Minister of India. He is my prime minister too. The election of Delhi is an internal issue of India and we will not tolerate the interference of the biggest sponsors of terrorism. As much as Pakistan tries, it cannot attack the unity of this country," Kejriwal said in a tweet. -- PTI
15:02 AI rescue mission with 5 docs departs for Wuhan
Air India's 423-seater jumbo B747 plane took off from the Delhi airport at around 1.20 pm on Friday to evacuate Indian nationals from Wuhan as China deals with the novel coronavirus outbreak, officials said.
There are five doctors from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital and one paramedical staff onboard, they said, adding that around 400 Indians are expected to be evacuated and the plane is likely to return between 1 am to 2 am on Saturday.
"The plane did a pushback towards the runway at around 12.50 pm. It took off at around 1.20 pm on Friday. The departure got delayed a little from 12.30 pm scheduled time because of some pending clearances," said a senior airline official.
After takeoff, Air India spokesperson stated that another special flight may take off from Delhi airport on Saturday to evacuate Indians from Wuhan. About Friday's flight, the spokesperson said, "A team of five doctors from RML hospital, one paramedical staff from Air India, with prescribed medicines from doctors, masks, overcoats, packed food are in the aircraft. A team of engineers, security personnel are also there in this special aircraft. The rescue mission is being lead by Captain Amitabh Singh, Director (Operations), Air India."
The spokesperson added that there are five cockpit crew members and 15 cabin crew members on Friday's flight. Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani said on Friday morning, "No service will take place in the plane. Whatever food is there will be kept in seat pockets. As there will be no service, there will be no interaction (between cabin crew and passengers)."
"Masks have been arranged for the crew and passengers. For our crew, we have also arranged a complete protective gear," he added. "Total five doctors from the Health Ministry are also going... The plane will be there (at Wuhan airport) for 2-3 hours," said Lohani.
Air India has done such evacuations earlier also from countries such as Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Kuwait and Nepal. The government has reached out to over 600 Indians living in China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, to ascertain their willingness to be brought back to India.
The death toll in China's novel coronavirus outbreak on Friday climbed to 213 with the number of confirmed cases totalling to 9,692. Hubei province reported 5,806 confirmed cases, including 204 deaths. -- PTI
Image: No service will take place in the plane. Whatever food is there will be kept in seat pockets. As there will be no service, there will be no interaction between cabin crew and passengers.
14:47 SC order on Nirbhaya convicts' hanging date today
A Delhi court on Friday reserved its order on an application of three death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case seeking a stay on their execution on February 1. Court to pass order later today.
Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana reserved the order after completion of hearing of arguments of the Tihar jail authorities and the convicts' lawyer. Saying only one convict's plea is pending and the others can be hanged, Tihar Jail authorities challenged the application of three condemned prisoners in the case seeking a stay on their execution.
The convicts' lawyer disagreed with the jail authorities and said rules dictate that when one convict's plea is pending the others cannot be hanged.
Advocate A P Singh, representing the convicts -- Pawan Gupta, Vinay Kumar Sharma and Akshay Kumar -- urged the court to adjourn the executions "sine die" (with no appointed date for resumption). Vinay's mercy plea before the president is pending. The fourth person sentenced to death in the case is Mukesh Kumar, whose mercy plea was dismissed by President Ram Nath Kovind on January 17.
The appeal against the rejection was thrown out by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The trial court on January 17 issued black warrants for the second time for the execution of all the four convicts in the case in Tihar jail at 6 am on February 1.
Earlier, on January 7, the court had fixed January 22 as the hanging date. The curative petitions of Vinay and Akshay have been rejected by the apex court. Pawan is the only one yet not to file a curative plea. Convicts have the option of moving a mercy petition before the president only after the apex court dismisses their curative plea. -- PTI
Image: Nirbhaya's parents have waited for justice for seven years.
14:46 Jamia shooter juvenile, confirms school
Manager of the school in Jewar, where the accused of Jamia firing is a student, on Friday said that the latter is a juvenile and his Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) mark sheet is "absolutely genuine".
"The mark-sheet is absolutely genuine, he passed the CBSE exam in 2018. His date of birth -- April 2002 -- is correct. He is a juvenile," Narendra Sharma, Manager of the school, told ANI.
The Manager said that the accused was admitted to the school in 2013.
"The school administration is shocked to know about the crime he has committed. It was absolutely wrong," Sharma said.
The Manager said that the school remained closed on January 29 due to Basant Panchami and on January 30 they saw their student on television screen brandishing a gun at protestors near Jamia.Calling the incident a 'critical issue', he said the administration has to take steps to prevent such untoward incidents as one does not know how many students have such rage in their mind at present scenario in the country.
"One has no idea how many students are there who have such rage in their mind. The system needs to think about that," Sharma said.
Delhi Police Crime Branch will produce the Jamia area firing accused before the Juvenile Justice Board later today.
He had on Friday brandished a gun in the presence of heavy police force deployment and fired towards the marching students on Thursday. One of the students sustained injuries on his left hand during the firing.After the incident, the police said the DCP South-East also reached the hospital in no time to ensure that proper medical treatment was extended to the injured, who has been identified as Shadaab Farooq, a student of Jamia Millia Islamia University.
14:40 Society dangerously inching toward civil war-like situation: Yechury
In a hard-hitting attack on the government over the new citizenship law, opposition parties on Friday held it responsible for the widespread unrest in the country following the legislation's enactment and said the society was dangerously inching toward a civil war-like situation.
The opposition parties are set to move amendments on President Ram Nath Kovind's address to both Houses of Parliament, seeking to remove his remarks on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, sources said.
Speaking at a press briefing after Kovind's address, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government has lowered the prestige of president's office by including the CAA in his address.
"The society is dangerously inching toward a civil war-like situation and the government is solely responsible for it," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said. Azad said the government claiming development in Jammu and Kashmir after making it a Union Territory is a cruel joke with people there, and he demanded that the Centre should apologise.
He said it was shameful that the government claimed CAA to be an achievement and included it in president's address. Kovind hailed the contentious CAA as "historic" in his address to the joint sitting of both Houses, prompting protests by some opposition members. -- PTI
14:30 Leaders of 14 oppn parties wear black arm bands during Prez address
Leaders of 14 opposition parties, including the Congress on Friday wore black arm bands during the President's address to both houses of Parliament to protest against the amended citizenship act, NPR and NRC. Leaders of these parties also sat together in one block in the Central hall of the Parliament during the President's address.
Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha also left their designated seats in the front row to sit with the block. The black bands were worn as a mark of protest against the alleged attack on the Constitution of India with the passage of the amended citizenship act by the government, leaders said.
Opposition members also protested after President Ram Nath Kovind hailed the CAA in his address. As soon as the president made these remarks, some opposition members shouted "shame, shame" and displayed banners in the Central hall.
Among the leaders of opposition parties who wore black bands were NCP, SP, DMK, RJD, CPI-M, CPI, Shiv Sena, JMM, JDS, RSP, Kerala Congress (M), IUML and National Conference, besides the Congress, sources said.
Earlier in the day, top Congress leaders led by Sonia Gandhi staged a protest near Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Parliament complex to save the Constitution and express solidarity with those protesting against the Citizenship Act, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).
Sonia Gandhi was accompanied by party leader Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, senior leaders Motilal Vohra, Ahmed Patel, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, AK Antony and all party MPs from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
They held placards on 'Save the Constitution' and raised anti-government slogans while expressing solidarity with the protesters against the CAA, NPR and NRC. -- PTI
Image: Manish Tiwari with P Chaidambaram enter Parliament House on the 1st day of the budget session of parliament.
13:38 Eco Survey pegs growth at 6.5% next fiscal
The Economic Survey on Friday projected India's economic growth at 6 per cent to 6.5 per cent in the next financial year starting April 1, saying growth has bottomed out.
The growth in 2020-21 compares to a projected 5 per cent expansion in 2019-20. Weak global growth impacting India as well as investment slowdown due to financial sector issues had led to growth dropping to a decade low in current fiscal, it said, adding 5 per cent growth projected for 2019-20 is the lowest it could fall for now. Growth slipped to 4.5 per cent in the July-September quarter.
The Survey this year has been printed in lavender colour - the same as the colour of the new 100 rupee currency note, the oldest currency note in circulation in the country. The pre-Budget Survey said for wealth to be distributed, it first has to be created and called for looking at wealth creators with respect. The Survey said government interventions seem to be ineffective in stabilising prices of commodities such as onions. -- PTI
13:11 Prez address repetition of old slogans: Cong
The Congress on Friday said the President's address was a "tiresome repetition of old slogans and old cliches" that have lost all meaning and does not have a word on the macroeconomic situation, lost jobs and increasing unemployment.
He said the address is silent on the swindling investment in the country and rising number of stalled projects as the government is "clueless".
"All that we heard was tiresome repetition of old slogans and old cliches that have lost all meaning in the last few years. "Sadly, there was not a word on the macro-economic situation. Not a word on lost jobs, increasing unemployment and rising consumer price inflation. Not a word on the closure of thousands of industries, especially in the SME sector," he said on Twitter.
He also said the government is clueless, "and therefore the President's Address was silent, on dwindling investment and rising number of stalled projects. The future of the manufacturing sector is bleak". -- PTI
12:57 SC refuses to hear plea on Mamata's removal as CM
The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear the petition filed by a journalist, seeking a direction to West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankar to remove the state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for demanding the United Nation-monitored referendum on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).While refusing to interfere with the petition of the journalist Varaaki, a bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sharad Arvind Bobde advised the litigant to move High Court.
"We are not denying it is not important. Go to the High Court," the bench observed.The plea contended that the oath of office under schedule III of the Constitution of India mandates the Chief Minister not to make a statement against the "sovereignty and integrity of the country". "She is no longer eligible to hold the post," the petition stated.
Banerjee had earlier sought a referendum with United Nation's assistance over the CAA issue.She had said, "Let there be an impartial organisation like the United Nations or the Human Rights Commission...form a committee to see how many people are in favour or against the Citizenship Amendment Act." -- ANI
12:41 SC agrees to examine plea for victim-centric guidelines in death penalty cases
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the Centre's plea for laying down victim and society-centric guidelines in cases of death penalty. The Centre had on January 22 moved an application contending that the prevalent guidelines are only accused and convict-centric.
A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde sought response from various stakeholders on whose petition the apex court in 2014 had laid down guidelines relating to the execution of death row convicts.
The guidelines were laid down in the Shatrughan Chauhan case in 2014. The bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, made it clear that the issue of conviction and death sentence connected with the Shatrughan Chauhan case would not be altered while dealing with the Centre's plea. The bench issued notice to the respondents who were named in the Shatrughan Chauhan matter. PTI
12:36 No fresh investment, redemption for mutual fund investors on Budget day
Mutual funds investors will not be able to make fresh investment or sell their units on the Budget day because subscription and redemption are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, industry officials said. Mutual funds subscriptions and redemptions will not be permitted because all the fund houses in their scheme information documents have declared Saturday and Sunday as "non-business day".
Consequently, mutual funds investors will not be able to participate like others participants in stock markets. "Tomorrow, stock exchanges are open but mutual funds are closed for subscription and redemptions," said Omkeshwar Singh, head of mutual fund distribution business at Samco.
Investors through equity and derivatives can participate but investors through mutual funds will not be able to participate, he added. In case of any change in non business day, fund houses need to issue notices to investors and publish advertisements in leading newspapers which is a lengthy process.
Stock markets will be open for normal trading on February 1, Saturday, when the Union Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Trading would be conducted during normal hours from 9 am to 3.30 pm. According to markets sources, the decision has been taken following requests made in this regard by market participants as Budget contains several market-moving announcements.
In 2015, stock exchanges were open for trading on February 28, Saturday, when then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had presented the Budget. PTI
12:03 CAA historic law: President Kovind
President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday hailed the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act as "historic" in his address to joint sitting of both houses of Parliament, prompting protests by some opposition members. He also said that debate and discussion on any issue strengthens democracy while violence during protests weaken it.
"The Citizenship Amendment Act is a historic law. It has fulfilled wishes of our founding fathers including Mahatma Gandhi," he said. "Debate and discussions strengthen democracy but violence during protests weaken democracy," he said without directly referring to the anti-CAA protests in the country some of which have witnessed violence. In a reference to abrogation of Article 370, Kovind said there is happiness among people of India that people in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have got rights on par with the rest of the country.
The President said Parliament has created record in the first seven months of the new government headed by Narendra Modi by enacting several landmark legislations. "My government is taking strong steps for making this decade as India's decade and this century as India's century," he said. -- PTI
Image: A pro-CAA rally in Mumbai last month.
11:57 Worked hard to prepare second Economic Survey in six months: CEC
Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian on Friday commended his team for "working hard" and having prepared the "second economic survey in the span of six months".
"Last time, we worked hard. Our team has done a lot of hard work this time around also. The team has prepared the second economic survey in six months. The entire credit goes to them," Subramanian told ANI.
The Economic Survey 2019-20 will be tabled in the Parliament today by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The Budget Session of the Parliament commenced earlier today with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind to the joint sitting of two Houses -- Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.President Kovind was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla along with other Union Ministers at the Parliament.
The Union Budget will be presented on Saturday. The first phase of the session will conclude on February 11, while the second part of the session will begin from March 2 and end on April 3. -- ANI
11:54 Nirbhaya: Pawan moves SC on juvenile claim
One of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, Pawan Gupta, on Friday approached the Supreme Court seeking review of its verdict which dismissed his plea claiming to be a juvenile at the time of commission of the offence.
On January 20, the apex court had rejected the plea by Pawan who had challenged the Delhi High Court's order dismissing his juvenility claim. Advocate A P Singh, who is representing Pawan in the case, said he has filed a petition on his behalf seeking review of the top court's January 20 order on Friday. -- PTI
Image: Nirbhaya gang rape case convicts, from left, Akshay Thakur, Vinay Sharma, Mukesh Singh and Pawan Gupta
11:38 Violence during protest makes India weak: Prez
President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said any form of violence in the name of protest makes our society and country weaker. He was addressing the joint session of Parliament to mark the beginning of the Budget session.
"My government clearly believes that mutual discussion and debate make democracy stronger. While any form of violence in name of protest, makes our society and country weaker," said Kovind.
The President's remarks come a day after a juvenile was arrested for brandishing a gun and shooting towards students protesting against the amended citizenship law in the Jamia area on Thursday.
President Kovind also said that this decade is very important for the country."In the last 5 years, the government has laid the foundation for making this century Bharat's century. This decade is very important for Bharat," he said.The Union Budget will be presented on Saturday. The first phase of the session will conclude on February 11, while the second part of the session will begin from March 2 and end on April 3. -- ANI
11:10 Who paid Jamia shooter, asks Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday questioned who "paid" the Jamia shooter, a day after a man opened fire at a group of anti-CAA protesters in the area. Asked by reporters to comment on the incident as he was entering Parliament, Gandhi said, "Who paid the Jamia shooter?"
On Thursday, Gandhi had tweeted a quote from Mahatma Gandhi, "I cannot teach you violence, as I do not believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before anyone, even at the cost of your life."
Tensions in the Jamia area spiralled on Thursday after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring a student, before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting "Yeh lo aazadi" amid heavy police presence. -- PTI
11:01 How a Long-Lost Indian Disco Record Won Over Crate Diggers
"In 2014, Debayan Sen found a mysterious album inside of a trunk in his mother's attic, in Kolkata, India. The red-orange record sleeve featured a picture of his mom as a young woman along with her name'"Rupa'"in big, bold lettering. That was the day Debayan learned about his mother's past life as a singer."
Read this remarkable story here
10:58 Accused juvenile radicalised by social media: Delhi police
The accused juvenile who fired at protesters in Jamia area on Friday has no remorse for what he did and was radicalised by viewing videos on social media, claims Delhi Police.
Police sources also said that the accused had procured the country-made pistol from his village and left for Delhi in a bus to take revenge for the death of Chandan Gupta. Gupta was killed in Kasganj violence on January 26.
The accused brandished a gun despite heavy police force deployment and fired at the marching students on Thursday.
Delhi police sources said that the accused has denied having any connection or links with any organisation.
Before the incident, Delhi Police said sufficient police arrangements had been made for the march for which there was 'no permission'.
The police said DCP South-East also reached the hospital in no time, to ensure that proper medical treatment was extended to the injured, who has been identified as Shadaab Farooq, a student of Jamia University. "A case under section 307 IPC and 25/27 of Arms Act has been registered at PS New Friends Colony," it said. -- ANI
10:44 This budget will be for all: PM
PM Modi's statement outside Parliament as the Budget Session is set to begin at 11 am. "We all should make sure that in this session, we lay a strong foundation for this decade. This session will be focussed mainly on economic issues. I want that in both houses there are good debates on these issues. This is the first session of this decade. This budget will be for all and will empower the poor."
The Budget Session of Parliament will commence with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind to the joint sitting of two Houses of Parliament.
President Kovind will deliver a speech in the Central Hall of Parliament at 11 am. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will also chair a meeting of floor leaders of Rajya Sabha at his residence today.
The government on January 31 will release the Economic Survey for 2019-2020 just a day before Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents Union Budget 2020-21 on February 1.
All eyes will be on the Economic Survey for the current fiscal, which is a detailed report card on the economic performance throughout the year.
10:41 Sonia leads anti-CAA protest in Parliament ahead of Budget Session
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi led a protest of party leaders in Parliament against the CAA, NPR and NRC ahead of the Budget Session. Party leaders held placards of 'Save India', 'No to CAA, NRC' and shouted slogans. Senior Congress leaders Motilal Vohra, Ahmed Patel, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury, AK Antony were present at the protest. -- PTI
10:19 Sensex jumps 200 pts ahead of Economic Survey
Market benchmark Sensex jumped over 200 points in opening session on Friday ahead of the release of the government's Economic Survey later in the day. The 30-share BSE index was trading 168.91 points or 0.41 per cent higher at 41,082.73, and the broader NSE advanced 39.35 points, or 0.33 per cent, to 12,075.15. In the previous session, Sensex settled 284.84 points, or 0.69 per cent, lower at 40,913.82, and Nifty closed 93.70 points, or 0.77 per cent, down at 12,035.80. -- PTI
10:02 This century might witness elimination of cervical cancer, suggest studies
Two recently published studies have predicted that cervical cancer could cease to be a public health risk within the span of this century, provided that women receive meticulous HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment.
The researchers are even more optimistic about North America, stating that the disease could be almost completely eliminated by 2040.This is the conclusion of two studies published in The Lancet by an international consortium of researchers co-directed by Professor Marc Brisson from Universite Laval's Faculty of Medicine and the CHU de Quebec-Universite Laval Research Centre.
The study used the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and cervical screening targets defined in the WHO draft strategy of cervical cancer elimination. -- ANI
09:57 Wife of Farrukhabad hostage-taker dies after being thrashed by locals
The wife of a man who was killed for holding children as hostages here at Farrukhabad, died after being brutally thrashed by villagers on Friday, police said.After being beaten up by the locals, the woman was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition.
However, she succumbed to her injuries."When we sent her to the hospital, she was injured. She sustained injuries on her head. Her head was bleeding. As police killed her husband (the accused in the case), she tried to flee. As the children were kept hostage by both husband and wife, the villagers, in a fit of rage, pelted stones and bricks at her," Mohit Aggrawal, Inspector General Kanpur, told media.
"Postmortem report will clear everything, further details on the cause of death will only come out after the report," the IG said.
Earlier in the morning, more than 15 children who were held hostage at a house in Farrukhabad were safely evacuated by police."The person who was holding the children as hostage has been killed in an operation and all children have been safely evacuated," Uttar Pradesh Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary Home, Awanish Kumar Awasthi said."
Chief Minister (Yogi Adityanath) has announced an award of Rs 10 lakh for the Uttar Pradesh Police and its team that successfully carried out the operation. All personnel who took part in the operation will be given a certificate of appreciation," Awasthi said.
On Thursday, Farrukhabad Police had said that more than 15 children were held hostage at a house. Following this, the Chief Minister convened a high-level meeting over the incident.
Uttar Pradesh ADG Law and Order PV Ramashastry had said that the accused had been sentenced to life imprisonment in a murder case and he was out on bail. "He had called the children on the pretext of a birthday party and held them hostage. He opened fire on villagers," he had said.
-- ANI
Image: Police personnel outside the house where the man held the children hostage.
09:46 AI special plane to evacuate Indians from Wuhan
Air India's 423-seater jumbo B747 plane will depart from Delhi airport at 12.30 pm on Friday to evacuate 600 Indian nationals who are in China as the neighbouring country deals with novel Coronavirus outbreak.
"The B747 plane is all set to depart from Delhi at 12.30 pm. It came from Mumbai on Friday morning only," said a senior airline official.
Image: Chinese Premier Li Keqiang weas a mask and protective suit at a hospital where the patients of the new coronavirus are being treated following the outbreak, in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.
09:31 3 terrorists killed in encounter in Jammu
A group of 3-4 terrorists, travelling in a truck, opened fire at a police team at a toll plaza on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Jammu on Friday, injuring a policeman, officials said.
Three terrorists were killed in the ensuing gunfight, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said.
The firing took place around 5 am when the police team stopped a Srinagar-bound truck for checking near the toll plaza in the Ban area of Nagrota, the officials said.
The group of 3-4 terrorists was on their way to Srinagar when they were intercepted by the police team at the toll plaza, the DGP said.
A massive search operation has been launched to track down the terrorists.
Senior police officials were at the spot to oversee the combing operations.
Traffic was suspended on the highway after the attack, the officials said.
Authorities also ordered closure of schools in Nagrota as a precautionary measure. -- PTI
09:30 IBM names Indian-origin Arvind Krishna as CEO
Indian-origin technology executive Arvind Krishna has been elected chief executive officer of American IT giant IBM after a "world-class succession process", succeeding Virginia Rometty, who described him as the "right CEO for the next era at IBM" and "well-positioned" to lead the company into the cloud and cognitive era.
The IBM Board of Directors elected Krishna as company CEO and member of the Board of Directors effective April 6.
Krishna is currently IBM senior vice president for Cloud and Cognitive Software and will succeed Rometty, 62 who will retire after almost 40 years with the company at the end of the year.
Krishna, 57, had joined IBM in 1990 and has an undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
"I am thrilled and humbled to be elected as the next chief executive officer of IBM, and appreciate the confidence that Ginni and the Board have placed in me," Krishna said in a press statement released by IBM.
Krishna said "IBM has such talented people and technology that we can bring together to help our clients solve their toughest problems."
"I am looking forward to working with IBMers, Red Hatters and clients around the world at this unique time of fast-paced change in the IT industry. We have great opportunities ahead to help our clients advance the transformation of their business while also remaining the global leader in the trusted stewardship of technology," Krishna said.
Krishna's appointment as head of the global IT giant adds to the growing list of Indian-origin executives at the helm of some of the biggest multinational companies. Krishna joins the club that includes Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, MasterCard CEO Ajay Banga, PepsiCo's former CEO Indra Nooyi and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen.
Rometty, who had been IBM's Chairman, President and CEO, will continue as Executive Chairman of the Board and serve through the end of the year, when she will retire. She described Krishna as the right CEO for the next era at IBM who is well-positioned to lead IBM and its clients into the cloud and cognitive era."
Rometty said Krishna is a brilliant technologist who has played a significant role in developing our key technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud, quantum computing and blockchain. He is also a superb operational leader, able to win today while building the business of tomorrow.
She said Krishna has grown IBM's Cloud and Cognitive Software business and led the largest acquisition in the company's history. Krishna was a principal architect" of the company's acquisition of Red Hat. -- PTI
09:27 Jamia firing: Agitating students detained
Students who were agitating outside the Delhi Police Headquarters at ITO after a man fired at anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protestors near the Jamia Millia Islamia were detained and removed from the area on Friday morning, police said.
The students were protesting since Thursday night against Delhi Police over the incident. The police later closed the road outside the headquarters.
"Due to the demonstration in front of PHQ, the road leading from W point to A point towards Vikas Marg has been closed by local police. Please refrain from using this route," the Delhi Traffic Police tweeted.
A man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters near Jamia Millia Islamia on Thursday, injuring a student, before calmly walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting "Yeh lo aazadi" amid heavy police presence in the area.
The man was subsequently overpowered by police and taken into custody. -- PTI
09:15 Sitharaman to table economic survey 2019-20 today
As the budget session of Parliament commences on Friday, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the economic survey 2019-20.
Sitharaman will present her second Union budget on Saturday.
The budget session will commence with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind to the joint sitting of two Houses of Parliament.
President Kovind will deliver a speech in the Central Hall of Parliament at 11 am.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu will also chair a meeting of floor leaders of Rajya Sabha at his residence today.
The first phase of the session will conclude on February 11, while the second part of the session will begin from March 2 and will end on April 3. -- ANI
Image: Copies of the economic survey brought to Parliament. Photograph: ANI
09:09 UP hostage crisis ends, accused killed
Twenty-three children aged between six months and 15 years, who had been taken hostage by a murder accused after inviting them to his daughter's birthday party, were rescued late on Thursday night after police killed their captor in a village here.
The hostage drama began at Kasaria village in the afternoon and continued for about eight hours.
"The accused was killed and there were about 23 children who were rescued safely," Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi told reporters at a hurriedly called press conference at 1.20 am.
"The accused had invited the children for the birthday party of his daughter and held them hostage. It started about 5.45 pm on January 30 and continued for about eight hours," Director General of Police (DGP) O P Singh said, adding that in the entire operation they had tried to "engage" the accused and were successful.
He said the accused, identified as Subhash Batham, had initially released a six-month-old girl by handing her over to his neighbour from a balcony.
Eyewitnesses said a restive crowd gathered outside the house where the children were kept with some women wailing and praying for their safe release.
The crowd broke open the door of the house to rescue the children, they said.
As the accused opened fire, the police retaliated killing him on the spot.
In the exchange of fire, the captor's wife was injured, but none of the children suffered any injury.
A man and two policemen also suffered bullet injuries.
The motive of the accused was not known immediately. -- PTI
08:48 Wipro CEO Abidali Z Neemuchwala to step down
IT services major Wipro on Friday said its chief executive officer and managing director Abidali Z Neemuchwala has decided to step down from the company.
Neemuchwala, 52, will continue to hold the office of the CEO and managing director, until a successor is appointed for a smooth transition and to ensure that business continues as usual, the company said in a BSE filing.
"...Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Abidali Z Neemuchwala has decided to step down due to family commitments," the BSE filing said.
The Board of Directors has also initiated a search to identify the next chief executive officer, it added.
"We thank Neemuchwala for his leadership and his contributions to the Wipro. Over the last four years, he helped build a strong execution mindset, drove key acquisitions and scaled our Digital business globally," Wipro Chairman Rishad Premji said.
Neemuchwala said the company has made considerable progress in its transformation journey, improved its delivery engine and institutionalised deeper client centricity.
"lt has been my honour and privilege to serve Wipro, a company with a rich legacy of almost 75 years...I thank Azim Premji, Rishad, our Board of Directors, my Wipro colleagues and customers for their support over the years," he added. -- PTI
08:35 Coronavirus declared global health emergency
The death toll in China from the new coronavirus reached 213 on Friday, with overall cases worldwide rising rapidly in an outbreak that the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency.
Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak, reported 5,806 confirmed cases, including 204 deaths, official media reported.
A total of 213 people have died of the disease as of Thursday, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Chinese health authorities announced that 9,692 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus had been reported in 31 provincial-level regions and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps by the end of Thursday.
About 20 countries, including India, have reported confirmed cases of the virus in travellers coming from China.
China said it has full confidence and capability to win the fight against the epidemic.
The WHO has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency.
The UN health agency on Friday declared an international emergency over the deadly novel coronavirus from China -- a rarely used designation that could lead to improved international co-ordination in tackling the disease.
"Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems," World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said as he announced the virus as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
Reacting to the announcement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in a press statement said, "Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus epidemic, the Chinese government has been taking the most comprehensive and rigorous prevention and control measures with a high sense of responsibility for people's health." -- PTI
00:55 Trump creates coronavirus task force
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday created a coronavirus task force to lead his administration's response to the deadly virus which has killed 170 people and infected 7,736 others in China, and spread to 20 countries, including India.
The task force is led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar, and is coordinated through the National Security Council, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said.
It is composed of subject matter experts from the White House and several US government agencies, and includes some of the country's foremost experts on infectious diseases, she said.
Members of the task force have been meeting on a daily basis since Monday.
"At today's meeting, which the President chaired, he charged the task force with leading the United States government response to the novel 2019 coronavirus and with keeping him apprised of developments," Grisham said.
The task force will lead the administration's efforts to monitor, contain and mitigate the spread of the virus, while ensuring that the American people have the most accurate and up-to-date health and travel information, she said.
According to Grisham, the President's top priority is the health and welfare of the American people.
"That is why, in 2018, President Trump signed the National Biodefence Strategy, which improves speed of action in situations such as this. The administration, led by the President's task force, will continue to work to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus," the White House Press Secretary added.
Named as 2019-nCoV, the virus has hit all provinces in China, including the remote region of Tibet, mostly due to travellers from Wuhan city, the ground zero of the epidemic, as the virus claimed 170 lives, infected 7,736 others and spread to 20 countries, including India.
As the spread of the virus intensified, many countries, including India, started preparation to evacuate their citizens from Wuhan and other cities in Hubei province.
A number of global airlines, including Air India, British Airways, Lion Air and Indigo airlines have suspended their flights to Chinese cities as Beijing struggled to contain the rapid spread of the virus.
India, the US, the UK and Germany have already issued travel advisories against travelling to China. Beijing too has been asking Chinese not to travel at home and abroad in view of the virus. -- PTI
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