• NATIONAL NEWS

New mining laws approved by the Union Cabinet

Union Cabinet has cleared the draft mining bill aimed at regulating mining activities. The bill proposes a profit-sharing system and bidding of mining rights. It will mandate coal companies to provide 26 per cent of post-tax profit for the welfare of affected people, a move intended to benefit mostly tribal.

TN trial court convicts 215 government officials for the mass rape case

Trial court has convicted 215 government officials for the infamous Vachathi incident in Tamil Nadu's Dharmapuri district where tribal women were assaulted and raped. The court found the accused guilty of offences ranging from rioting to rape.

Registration tax on diesel vehicles hiked by the Delhi govt

Delhi govt has increased the registration tax on diesel vehicles by 25% on the existing registration rate from 29.09.2011. Accordingly, those who pay a one-time tax, will be paying fractionally more than before.

Insurance regulators to ease infra investment regulations

IRDA and PFRDA are planning to ease the investment norms for insurance and pension firms to attract funds. IRDA has set up a internal committee to review its guidelines and PFRDA is also expected to order a reassessment of its norms.

Government to mulls company structure for public sector banks

Finance ministry is contemplating holding company structure for public sector banks. This model will help banks to raise capital from market and the government to hold on to a majority stake.

SEBI Guidelines for Issue and Listing of Structured Products/ Market Linked Debentures

SEBI has issued the guidelines for issue and listing of structured products/ market linked debentures specifying additional disclosures and other requirements in offer documents for issue of structured products/ market linked debentures that seek listing on stock exchanges.

Minimum wage rules doesn't apply to teachers in private unaided schools: Madras HC

Madras high court has ruled that state government's minimum wage norms cannot be applied to teaching faculty in private unaided schools. As on date there is no legislation, which specifies any salary structure for teachers employed in private schools.

Kerala Govt brings out guidelines for direct selling

Kerala govt has come out with the set of guidelines in the direct selling industry. These guidelines makes it mandatory for the for all direct selling companies to be legally authorized to conduct business in India and file all returns as mandated by law.

Calcutta HC upheld the constitutional validity of Singur Land Rehabilitation Act

Calcutta HC has upheld the constitutional validity of Singur Land Rehabilitation Act. The Act was introduced in June by Mamata Banerjee allowing her government to cancel a 99-year-lease signed with Ratan Tata for nearly 1000 acres for his Nano factory.

Ice-cream parlour case: HC dismisses Achuthanandan's petition

Kerala High Court has dismissed the petition by former Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan seeking a CBI probe into the case registered on the basis of disclosures by a relative of a State Minister that he had tried to influence witnesses in the ice-cream parlour case.

Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011 cleared by state assembly

Gujarat state legislative assembly has unanimously cleared the Gujarat Animal Preservation (Amendment) Bill, 2011 to control the transportation of cattle within the state and outside. The said Bill specifically prevents the transportation of cow, the calf of a cow, a bull or a bullock.

Portugal High Court revokes the extradition of the Abu Salem, CBI to appeal

Portugal HC has revoked the extradition of the Abu Salem on the ground that the Indian govt has violated the terms of extradition. The CBI would file a appeal in the porugal SC through ministry of external affairs.

Draft National Public-Private Partnership policy released for discussion

Govt has released the draft national Public-Private Partnership policy seeking to ensure transparency, while stating it would publish separate mandatory disclosure norms for projects & also set up a dedicated dispute resolution mechanism to address issues related to bidding & award of PPP projects.

RBI: Revisions to the Guidelines on Securitisation Transactions

RBI has released the draft revised norms to regulate the growth in the securitisation of banks loans. These guidelines also cover prudential treatment of transfer of assets through direct assignment of cash flows and the underlying securities, if any.

Kerla HC stays fresh probe in the palmolein import case

Kerala HC has stayed the vigilance special court order directing fresh investigations on the role of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the palmolein import case.

Government to Relax Equity Exposure Norms For LIC

Govt is set to relax LIC's equity exposure norms. Accordingly, the existing ceiling of ten per cent in one company is likely to relaxed subject to some riders.

Three Judges Appointed to the Madhya Pradesh High Court

The President has appoint Shri Justice Brij Kishore Dube, Shri Justice Gulab Singh Solanki, and Shri Justice Naresh Kumar Gupta, to be Judges of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, in that order of seniority with effect from the date they assume charge of their respective offices.

Dying declaration cannot be taken at face value: Bombay HC

Bom HC has held that the dying declaration cannot be taken at face value saying whether to accept the dying declaration as truthful evidence and to convict the accused on the basis thereof is a matter of appreciation of evidence.

CBEC clarifies on applicability of service tax on taxable services provided by a non-resident

CBEC has clarified that the service tax liability on any taxable service provided by a non-resident or a person located outside India, to a recipient in India, would arise w.e.f. 18.4.2006 in the backdrop of the SC judgments as mentioned therein. [File attached]

Sudheendra Kulkarni arrested in 2008 cash-for-vote case after Court dismissed his interim bail plea

Sudheendra Kulkarni has been arrested and sent to Tihar jail till October 1, after a Delhi court dismissed his interim bail plea. He has appeared before a Delhi court in response to summons for his alleged role in 2008 cash-for-vote scam.

Contempt of court notice against N D Tiwari for refusing to give blood sample for DNA test

Delhi HC has issued the contempt of court notice to N D Tiwari for refusing to give blood sample for DNA test in paternity suit.

Cooling-off period for senior bureaucrats may increase to two years

Govt is likely to amend the All India Service Rules to increase the cooling-off period for retired civil servants to two years from existing period of one year.

Concept Paper on Regulation of Investment Advisors released by SEBI

SEBI has released the concept paper on regulation of investment advisors, proposing a regulatory approach for Investment Advisors, for public comments. Comments on the same may be sent by October 31, 2011.

Landlords renting premises for commercial purposes to pay 10% service tax on rental income: Del HC

Delhi HC has upheld the constitutional validity of S.65(105)(zzzz) & S.66 of Finance Act, 1994, as amended by Finance Act, 2010. Accordingly, landlords earning Rs.10 lakh or more by renting premises for commercial purposes are liable to pay 10% tax on rental income w.e.f June 2007. [Attached]

SC dismisses CBSE plea to integrate AIPMT and AIEEE into a single entrance test

SC has dismissed the CBSE plea to integrate AIPMT and AIEEE into a single entrance Test for admissions to undergraduate medical and engineering courses saying that there was no unanimity within the govt.

Jurisprudentially, personal contact as mode of appointment is not acceptable: Delhi HC

Delhi HC has set aside the appointment of director of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society saying that appointment solely by personal contact is likely to restrict the choice of applicants and constitutes discrimination.

Competition Appellate Tribunal admits appeal against CCI order giving clean chit to Microsoft

Competition Appellate tribunal has admitted an appeal against CCI order giving clean chit to Microsoft on the issue of abusing its dominant position in the market.

Centre's recall application referred to CJI for constitution of larger bench: Black money probe

Two-judge SC bench gives split verdict on maintainability of Centre's plea for recall of its order on appointment of SIT in black money case. Accordingly, the matter has been referred to Chief Justice for constitution of a larger bench to decide on its maintainability.

All Industry Rates of Duty Drawback, 2011-12 - Effective from 01.10.2011

CBEC has determined the revised All Industry Rates (AIR) of Duty Drawback 2011-12 vide Notification No. 68 / 2011- Cus. (N.T.), dated 22.09.2011. The rates of duty drawback are effective from 01.10.2011.[File attached]

Vault B of the Kerala temple to stay shut, for now

The Apex court has said that it would consider the issue of opening vault B only after an inventory of already unearthed valuables is prepared. Also, issued directions to ensure security of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.

Insurers cannot deny claims for delay in intimation: IRDA

IRDA has issued a circular attached herewith saying that the claims cannot be denied merely on the ground of delayed filing and intimation of documents, particularly if the delay was due to unavoidable circumstances and reasons beyond the control of the insured.

Government plans to decriminalize suicide attempt

In a response to the PIL seeking removal of section 309 of IPC that punishes attempt to suicide, the government has clarified that they intend to amend the law to decriminalize attempt to commit suicide and may effect the much-needed reform in a year or so.

Government may allow foreign investments in LLP companies with riders

Govt is planning to allow FDI in limited liability partnership firms but only in sectors where 100 per cent FDI is currently allowed through the automatic route.

Special investigation unit to 'regulate' funding and donations to the political parties

Finance ministry has set up a special investigation unit to 'regulate' funding and donations to the political parties. It will function under CBDT and deal with the sensitive matters like those related to armed units of the criminal investigation of the income tax.

SC: Long list of witnesses in CBI probed cases lead to contradictions

The Apex Court while hearing plea for extension of time limit in Satyam fraud case mentioned that CBI lose most of such cases because the list of witnesses is too long, which in turn also leads to contradictions.

Centre to reply on grant of minority status to Jamia Milia Islamia

The Delhi High Court has asked the Centre to justify its stand on granting the minority status to Jamia Milia by National Commission for Minority Educational Institution. A plea has been raised that the commission has no authority to declare it as a minority institution.

Shri Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla appointed as Chief Justice of the J&K High Court

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 95 of the J&K Constitution, the President has appointed Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla, Judge of the J&K High Court, to be the Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court with effect from the date he assumes charge of his office.

• INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Swiss lower house votes to ban burqa in public

After France, Netherlands and Belgium, Switzerland becomes the 4th country in EU to impose ban on burqa, with lawmakers voting for a far-right move to outlaw veils in public. The motion titled "Masks Off", authored by SVP party lawmaker Oskar Freysinger, seeks to outlaw face-coverings on public transport as well.

Women get right to vote in Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on Sunday granted women the right to vote and run in future municipal elections. Saudi women, who are legally subject to male chaperones for almost any public activity, hailed the royal decree as an important, if limited, step toward making them equal to their male counterparts. They said the uprisings sweeping the Arab world for the past nine months - along with sustained domestic pressure for women's rights and a more representative form of government - prompted the change.

Bill to freeze all aid to Pakistan Introduced In US House

A American lawmaker from Texas has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to freeze all US aid to "disloyal" Pakistan. The House Resolution if passed will freeze all US aid to Pakistan with the exception of funds that are designated to help secure nuclear weapons.

Lahore HC orders Pak IT Ministry to ban Facebook for 'spreading religious hatred'

Lahore High Court has ordered the ministry of Information Technology to block access to all websites spreading religious hatred, including popular social networking site Facebook. However, Court has made it clear that no search engine, including Google, would be blocked.