Goods and Services Tax (GST) be retained – 5 per cent and 18 percent – as per sources. Under this proposal, 90 per cent of the items in the 28 per cent will be moved to the 18 per cent slab, while 99 per cent of the items in the 12 per cent slab will be moved to the five… Continue reading "Centre proposes reducing GST slabs from 4 to 2, may retain 5%, 18%"
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday withdrew the Income Tax Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha, and said the government will table an updated version. The government decided to do this to incorporate the changes suggested by the Select Committee. An updated version of the Income Tax Bill will likely include most of the recommendations suggested by the Select Committee, news… Continue reading "Income Tax Bill withdrawn; updated version likely in Lok Sabha on August 11"
The arrest of two Kashmiri locals for allegedly harbouring terrorists who carried out the April 22 Pahalgam attack has led the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to conclude that all three attackers were from Pakistan.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda announced that the ADB will invest $10 billion in Indian urban infrastructure over a period of five years. This investment aims to transform urban infrastructure across India, including metro extensions, new regional rapid transit system (RRTS) corridors, and urban services, ADB said in a statement. “Cities are engines of growth,” Mr Kanda said… Continue reading "ADB President Masato Kanda pledges $10 billion for Indian urban infrastructure"
Forty-four MLAs are ready to form a new government in Manipur, BJP legislator Thokchom Radheshyam Singh claimed on Wednesday after meeting Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla. Ten MLAs from Manipur met Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at the Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Wednesday, demanding the formation of a “popular” government in the state. The delegation included seven MLAs from the BJP,… Continue reading "Manipur BJP MLA claims 44 lawmakers ready to form govt"
The Waqf bill, after a smooth passage through Lok Sabha, breezed through the Rajya Sabha 24 hours later, after yet another marathon debate. On its way, it exposed a chink in the armour of the parties opposing the bill. The voting was 128 votes in favour of the bill and 95 against. The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and… Continue reading "Watershed moment, says Modi as Rajya Sabha passes Waqf bill"
Opposition DMK members protested in the Lok Sabha on Thursday against the proposed delimitation of constituencies, prompting Speaker Om Birla to remind them of a rule governing the conduct of MPs in the House. Om Birla said attending the House proceedings wearing T-shirts with slogans written on those is not acceptable and against parliamentary rules and decorum. “House functions with… Continue reading "Speaker applies Rule 349 to disallow opposition members from wearing slogan T-shirts"
The Election Commission of India said that it is getting ready to link Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC), or voter IDs, with the Aadhaar numbers of those who have provided them voluntarily. The poll panel said it will soon initiate technical consultations regarding the exercise with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). While, as per Article 326 of the… Continue reading "Election Commission to begin linking Voter ID card with Aadhaar"
The 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) held its first meeting on the Bills related to ‘One Nation, One Election’ here on Wednesday where all the members expressed their views. The panel is mandated to review The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth) Amendment Bill, 2024 and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aim to align elections at the national… Continue reading "JPC on ‘One Nation, One Election’ Bills holds its first meeting"
The Union Cabinet has cleared two bills required to implement the ‘one nation, one election’ proposal – which proposes simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and, at a later stage, municipal polls too. These bills – which look to amend sections of the Constitution – will likely be introduced in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, sources added. The bills… Continue reading "Union Cabinet clears One Nation, One Election bill, likely to be tabled in Parliament next week"