Today in Politics: INDIA bloc parties to march to EC office in protest against Bihar SIR

Indian Express

16 hours ago

The Opposition's march to the Election Commission (EC) headquarters against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Bihar will be held on Monday, a source said last week.
The march, earlier set to be held on August 8, was rescheduled after the death of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren.
Popularly known as Guruji, Shibu Soren died at a private hospital in Delhi.
The Congress is protesting against what it calls large-scale manipulation of electoral rolls in Bengaluru's Mahadevapura constituency in the 2023 Assembly polls.
At a meeting of the INDIA bloc parties on Tuesday morning, Opposition leaders agreed that SIR remains the key issue for the Monsoon Session, and they will continue protests inside, as well as outside, the House, pressing for a debate on the issue.
Opposition parties have warned that the exercise may lead to disenfranchisement of many, and have called it 'vote-bandi' and 'vote-chori' (vote theft).
The Centre will introduce an updated version of the Income Tax Bill after incorporating changes suggested by the Select Committee in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
'To avoid confusion by multiple versions of the Bill and to provide a clear and updated version with all changes incorporated, the new version of the Income Tax Bill will be introduced for the consideration of the House on Monday,' sources said.
The Select Committee, chaired by Baijayant Panda, had suggested a host of changes in the Income Tax Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on February 13.
Soon after its introduction in the Lower House, the Bill, which will replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961. The 31-member Select Committee had favoured continuing tax exemption on anonymous donations made to religious-cum-charitable trusts in the new law, besides suggesting that taxpayers be allowed to claim TDS refund even after the ITR filing due date without paying any penal charges.
The government in the new Bill has exempted non-profit organisations (NPOs) from taxing anonymous donations received by purely religious trusts. However, such donations received by a religious trust that may also have other charitable functions, like running hospitals and educational institutions, will be taxed as per law, as per the Bill.
The Maharashtra Congress unit will hold a two-day residential workshop for its newly appointed office-bearers at a hill resort near Pune from Monday.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge will inaugurate the workshop virtually.
Senior leaders, including All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala and state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, will be present at the two-day event, a party statement said.
Former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar, legislative council group leader Satej Patil, Congress Working Committee member Balasaheb Thorat, and other senior leaders are also scheduled to attend the workshop.
There will be several panel discussions and interactive sessions. The Political Affairs Committee of the state Congress is also slated to meet during the workshop, the statement said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate 184 newly constructed Type-VII multi-storey flats for Members of Parliament at Baba Kharak Singh Marg on Monday.
The PM will plant a Sindoor sapling at the residential premise and will also interact with 'sramajeevis' on this occasion and address the gathering, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
The complex is designed to be self-sufficient and is equipped with a full range of modern amenities to address the functional needs of the MPs, it said.
– With PTI inputs