Latest news with #AmendmentAct
The Star
7 days ago
- Business
- The Star
South African government condemns killing of e-hailing driver
JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- The South African Department of Transport on Thursday condemned the fatal shooting of an e-hailing driver in Soweto, Johannesburg, saying that such criminal behavior has no place in the public transport sector. On Wednesday night, four attackers opened fire on e-hailing drivers and vehicles outside Maponya Mall, killing one person and injuring two others. Although the suspects are unknown, reports indicate that the attack is linked to long-standing tensions between South Africa's traditional minibus taxi industry and newer e-hailing platforms, with the former often opposing competition through violent means. Transport Minister Barbara Creecy said that during an April meeting between the government and the taxi industry, both sides agreed to establish a joint task team to fast-track the digitization of operating license issuance and tackle route encroachments, a key driver of taxi violence. The department said it is working to address systemic challenges in the sector, noting that President Cyril Ramaphosa recently signed into law the National Land Transport Amendment Act and the Transport Appeal Tribunal Amendment Act, which introduce key regulatory reforms. The regulations have been approved, now awaiting the second official language translation for gazetting and implementation of the Amendment Act. This will usher in a new era in the regulation of the e-hailing services, the department said. In the wake of Wednesday's attack, angry residents took to the streets on Thursday, blocking minibus taxis from loading passengers. The department also urged Maponya Mall management to enhance safety measures for passengers using e-hailing services.
United News of India
13-08-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
SC ruling raises MP's political temperature
Bhopal, Aug 13 (UNI) The Supreme Court's ruling in the case pertaining to the constitutional validity of Other Backward Classes reservation -- under the Madhya Pradesh Public Service (Reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs) Amendment Act, 2019 -- has raised the political temperature of the state. The apex court, while hearing the case yesterday, placed it in the 'top of the board' category and ruled that daily hearings would take place from September 23. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Additional SG KM Nataraj and Advocate General Prashant Singh represented the state government. Reacting to the ruling, Congress state President Jitu Patwari wrote on social media, "Like the previous chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Mohan Yadav dispensation is keeping this crucial matter pending owing to political malice and a strategy. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shall have to pay a heavy price for violating the constitutional rights of Backward Classes and ruining the future of youth. This battle for social justice will be fought on every front by the Congress that shall stage a decisive struggle for OBC rights." Meanwhile, BJP state Media In-charge Ashish Agarwal described the ruling as the dispensation's victory. "There was a time when the then Chief Minister Kamal Nath would himself furnish false statistics. He made no lawyer stand in court so that the Backward Classes did not get their right," he alleged. UNI GV-AC GNK
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Illegal activities on assigned lands: Kerala HC directs govt to file affidavit
Kochi: High court has directed the state govt to file a detailed affidavit by Aug 18 in response to a petition seeking action against illegal activities in violation of patta conditions on assigned lands across the state. The bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and M B Snehalatha issued the directive in a petition by P B Satheesh, director of Nerkazhcha, a Thrissur-based association, in which 1034 local self-govt institutions (LSGIs) across the state have been impleaded as respondents. While considering the matter, HC took note of a govt circular dated Oct 6, 2022, which required district collectors to take action against all violations committed on assigned lands. The court also observed that the Kerala Govt Land Assignment (Amendment) Act, 2023, which empowers the state to regularise certain activities on such lands, received the governor's assent only on April 26, 2024, and that the Rules under the Act are yet to be framed. HC further noted that violations occurring in the period between the issuance of the circular and the assent of the Amendment Act remain within the purview of the authorities and warrant immediate and necessary action. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Elegant New Scooters For Seniors In 2024: The Prices May Surprise You Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Learn More Undo Additionally, HC remarked that it has been dealing with the issue for several months but has not been unable to issue specific directions due to the state's repeated requests for time to file affidavits. Accordingly, the court directed the revenue department additional secretary, or any other competent authority on behalf of the state, to ensure that all queries raised by it are addressed comprehensively in the affidavit.
The Citizen
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Aarto implementation date of 1 December ‘still tentative'
Is your municipality one of the 69? Serial offenders will be at risk of losing their driver's licences. Picture: Moneyweb Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) spokesperson Monde Mkalipi says the 1 December date for implementing the Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) Amendment Act in 69 municipalities countrywide, and the names of those municipalities, is still tentative. The current list of municipalities – which you can view here – includes all the metro councils and the larger towns and cities in all provinces. The RTIA, an agency of the Department of Transport (DoT), administers the Aarto Act and its amended version. It became operational in 2010 but the RTIA has been unable to implement parts of Aarto beyond Johannesburg and Tshwane. Several deadlines for countrywide implementation have been missed and postponed. The Aarto Amendment Act, which was presented as making necessary changes to enable countrywide implementation, has been signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, but he has yet to promulgate the date on which it becomes operational. Before that can happen, he must also appoint an Appeals Board as required by the act. ALSO READ: Aarto demerit points system to be implemented by mid-2025 – Nada Confusion around timing Confusion followed Deputy Minister of Transport Mkhuleko Hlengwa's announcement during his budget speech earlier this month that Aarto will be implemented in 69 municipalities on 1 October and the other 144 on 1 February next year. His speech has since been 'corrected' on the DoT website to change the October date to 1 December. The February date for the final roll-out remains unchanged. However, Mkalipi says there will only be certainty once the promulgation has been made and announced in the Government Gazette. He says consultation must still be finalised, 'including with the municipalities'. Hlengwa's published statement now reads that Aarto 'will be rolled out in different phases according to municipal readiness from 1 December 2025 for the 69 municipalities that are ready for the rollout'. 'This is Phase 2 of the Aarto rollout programme, while Phase 3 will be rolled out on 1 February 2026 for the 144 municipalities that will only be ready then.' ALSO READ: Driving licence points demerit system still 'a long way off' The legislation has been in operation in Tshwane and Johannesburg since 2008. Still, the points demerit system provided for in the legislation will only be operational once Aarto is in effect countrywide. This will constitute the fourth and final stage, says Mkalipi. Once the act is in full operation, serial offenders will be at risk of losing their driver's licences if they exceed a certain number of demerit points and fail to mend their ways. If the rollout progresses according to the deputy minister's target dates, it will only be after a long series of false starts. Initially, municipalities and other stakeholders expressed considerable resistance, often accompanied by threats of litigation. There were also concerns about the readiness of municipalities to administer the complex system. Some of the concerns seem to have been addressed in the Amendment Act – and Hlengwa seems confident that the 69 municipalities are now ready for implementation on 1 December. ALSO READ: RTIA says Aarto Act implementation will increase municipalities' income 'No point without points demerits' JP Smith, Cape Town MMC for safety and security, says the city will have no choice but to implement Aarto if it is included in the proclamation. However, he is very critical of its implementation without the points demerit system. 'This is the only useful part of the act. Implementing without it will be an impediment to law enforcement. 'It is like me giving you an ice cream, but I only hand you the cone.' Smith says the city is relying on the fact that it can still use its current bylaw to prosecute traffic transgressions. ALSO READ: Court misconstrued Aarto Act when declaring it unconstitutional, says RTMC Unresolved issues Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association, says much discussion still needs to happen before the Aarto Amendment Act can be implemented. 'We sent a lot of comments when new regulations were issued for comment in 2019, and they haven't come back to us about it. Maybe they will go ahead anyway,' he says. The points demerit system is the essence of Aarto. Kelly says implementing without it will change how municipalities issue contravention notices. 'If the authorities start issuing Aarto paperwork, they will still be accountable in court if they don't follow due process – and we don't see that [due process] in Johannesburg and Tshwane.' He says issues about how vehicle fleets are dealt with in the Aarto process, including attaching points to vehicles, have not been resolved. ALSO READ: Like it or not, demerit points are coming 'You cannot change the behaviour of vehicles. You must change the behaviour of drivers.' Kelly says the authorities are trying to make money by, for example, charging fees to access the status on the points demerit system. 'In other countries, anybody can at any time access the points free of charge.' Employers must also be allowed to see how many points have been awarded against their drivers, but with the fees that have been proposed 'some companies will go bankrupt by paying access fees'. Advocate Stefanie Fick, executive director for accountability at Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, says transitional measures must be published to guide stakeholders when the Aarto Amendment Act becomes operational, and regulations governing the act must determine how it will operate. This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Gujarat high court quashes criminal complaint against company for defaulting on CSR responsibilities
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court quashed a criminal complaint filed by the registrar of companies (ROC) against a company on charges of non-compliance with corporate social responsibility (CSR) rules, specifically for inadequate disclosure and under-expenditure on CSR activities. Acknowledging the shift in legislative approach, the HC quashed the complaint and referred the issue to the adjudicating authority to fix the penalty on the company. This decision came after the central govt in 2020 amended the Companies Act, decriminalising the offence and reducing the punishment to a fine. In this case, the ROC filed a complaint under the Companies Act in a city court in 2017 against KHS Machinery Pvt Ltd for defaulting on its CSR obligations for the financial year 2014-15. The principal district judge initiated proceedings against the company. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad The company approached the HC in 2017, alleging that the ROC filed the complaint "with an ulterior motive and in abuse of the process of law". The company contended that it constituted a CSR committee and framed its own CSR policy in accordance with the statutory mandate. In line with its CSR obligations, the company began spending amounts towards social causes as stipulated in its CSR policy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Các chỉ số toàn cầu đang biến động — Đã đến lúc giao dịch! IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo All relevant disclosures were duly made in the Board of Directors' Report in compliance with Section 134(3)(o) of the Companies Act. Still, the ROC filed the complaint. The quashing petition was pending since 2017. When it came up for hearing, the company contended that the case pertained to Section 134(8) of the Companies Act and the said offence was decriminalised in 2020, with the punishment reduced to a fine. It prayed that the benefit of reduction in punishment should be given with retrospective effect. It also cited a Supreme Court order in this regard. After hearing the case, Justice J C Doshi quashed the complaint and ordered the issue to be sent to the authority concerned for fixing the penalty. The HC stated, "Evidently, the benefit of decriminalisation of the offence ought to ensure to the benefit of the petitioner, in as much as the Amendment Act passed by the central govt has decriminalised the punishment in cases pertaining to CSR violations and reduced the consequences to the imposition of a fine only. There appears to be no justifiable reason to deny the retrospective benefit of such decriminalisation to the petitioner–accused."
