
Telangana Panchayat BC quota ordinance sent to Governor Jishnu Dev Varma
The move follows a high court order on June 25, directing the government to complete reservation-related procedures for local polls within 30 days and declare results by September 30.
Government sources clarified that the proposed ordinance is separate from the Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill, 2025, which was passed by both Houses but has been reserved by the Governor for Presidential assent. It is currently under review by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Cabinet's push for the ordinance, which seeks to enable reservations beyond the 50% cap, is based on data-driven recommendations by a commission led by retired IAS officer Busani Venkateshwara Rao. The panel relied on findings from the State Socio-Economic and Educational Empowerment Population Census (SEEEPC).
With the Congress government banking on the ordinance to deliver on a key electoral promise, all eyes are now on the Governor's response.
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India Today
22 minutes ago
- India Today
Why U.S. military power is trapped in a loop of its own making
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Others spanned decades. The Korean War never ended — it merely paused with an armistice in 1953. U.S. troops are still stationed on the Korean peninsula, 70 years on. The Vietnam War left nearly 60,000 Americans and over 2 million Vietnamese dead, ending in scenes of chaos rather than Without EndThe Cold War may have ended in the 1990s, but the interventions did not. In 1989, the U.S. invaded Panama. In 1991, it launched Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. In 1993, American forces intervened in Somalia. In 1999, they bombed Yugoslavia. And then came the so-called War on the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. The justifications varied — from dismantling al-Qaeda to eliminating Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction. But those WMDs were never found. Instead, war became a permanent fixture of U.S. foreign became America's longest war — 20 years, 2,400 U.S. soldiers killed, and over 170,000 Afghan lives lost. 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The Print
35 minutes ago
- The Print
Par panel on new Income Tax Bill suggests changes in TDS refund claims, taxation of trusts
The Committee has recommended changes in the Income Tax Bill, 2025, which will replace the six-decade-old Income Tax Act, 1961. BJP Member Baijayant Panda, who headed the Select Committee of the Lok Sabha to scrutinise the Income Tax Bill, 2025, tabled the report in the Lower House. New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) A Parliamentary panel, which examined the new Income Tax Bill, on Monday suggested that the Finance Ministry allows individual taxpayers to claim TDS refunds by filing I-T returns after the due date without penalty, and exempt anonymous donations made to religious-cum-charitable trusts from taxation. The panel suggested that the ambiguity with regard to Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), especially those with mixed charitable and religious objectives, for taxing anonymous donations should be removed. The Committee opposed taxing 'receipts' of NPOs as it contravenes the principle of real income taxation under the Income Tax Act. It recommended reintroducing the term 'income' to ensure only net income of NPOs is taxed. Observing that there is a 'significant divergence in the treatment of anonymous donations' to registered NPOs, the committee suggested that such donations should be exempt for religious as well as charitable trusts because many such entities have a hybrid nature. 'While the Bill's stated aim is textual simplification, the committee observe a critical omission concerning religious-cum-charitable trusts, which could have substantial adverse impacts on a large segment of India's NPO sector,' it noted. The Clause 337 of the Income Tax Bill, 2025, proposed a flat 30 per cent tax on anonymous donations received by all registered NPOs, with a narrow exemption extended only to those established wholly for religious purposes. This marks a stark departure from the current Section 115BBC of the Income-tax Act, 1961. The existing law provided a more comprehensive exemption: anonymous donations were not taxed if received by any trust or institution created or established wholly for religious and charitable purposes, unless such a donation was specifically directed towards a university, educational institution, hospital, or medical institution run by that same trust or institution. The existing provision legitimately recognises these 'religious-cum-charitable' entities as a distinct and valid class eligible for concessions on anonymous donations, understanding that such organisations often receive contributions through traditional means (like donation boxes) where donor identification is practically impossible. 'The committee strongly urge the reintroduction of a provision analogous to the explanation found in Section 115BBC of the 1961 Act,' the Select Committee report said. With regard to refund of TDS refund claims by individuals who are otherwise not required to file tax returns, the committee suggested removal of the provision in the Income Tax Bill that makes it mandatory for an assessee to file I-T returns within the due date. The committee observe that the current mandatory requirement to file a return solely for the purpose of claiming a refund could inadvertently lead to prosecution, particularly for small taxpayers whose income falls below the taxable threshold but from whom tax has been deducted at source. 'In such scenarios, the law should not compel a return merely to avoid penal provisions for non-filing. The committee, therefore, recommend to remove sub-clause (1)(ix) from Clause 263 to provide flexibility for allowing refund claims in cases where the return is not filed in due time,' it noted. PTI JD CS JD DR DR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.


News18
an hour ago
- News18
Champion of poor, marginalised: Congress condoles Achuthanandans demise
New Delhi, Jul 21 (PTI) The Congress on Monday condoled the passing away of former Kerala chief minister and veteran CPI(M) leader V S Achuthanandan, with Rahul Gandhi hailing him as a champion of the poor and the marginalised who upheld the values of principled politics through bold decisions. Achuthanandan, one of India's most respected Communist figures and a key presence in Kerala's political history, died on Monday at the age of 101. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said ideological differences aside, Achuthanandan's steadfast commitment to his principles earned him respect as a crusader for democracy. 'My deepest condolences on the passing of former Kerala Chief Minister Comrade V S Achuthanandan, who spent decades in public life," Kharge said in a post on X. 'Ideological differences aside, his steadfast commitment to his principles earned him respect as a crusader for democracy, public welfare and environmental issues," he added. 'My thoughts are with his family, friends and fellow comrades," Kharge said. Gandhi said he was deeply saddened by the passing of Achuthanandan, a tireless voice for justice and democracy. 'A champion of the poor and the marginalised, he upheld the values of principled politics through bold decisions — especially on issues of environmental and public welfare," the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said. 'My condolences to his family, comrades, and admirers," he added. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi said, 'My heartfelt condolences to the family of former Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri V S Achuthanandan, and to all who were touched by his life and work." 'His contribution to Kerala and to the nation will be respected and remembered for years to come," she said. The veteran leader died at 3:20 pm while undergoing treatment in the critical care unit of the Pattom SUT Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, according to an official bulletin issued by the hospital. Achuthanandan was receiving treatment since June 23, following a cardiac arrest. A founding member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Achuthanandan was a lifelong champion of workers' rights, land reforms and social justice. He served as Kerala's chief minister from 2006 to 2011 and was elected to the state Assembly seven times, serving three terms as the leader of opposition. PTI ASK RC view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 22:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.