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The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Dual taxation on broadcasting services permissible in law: Supreme Court judgment
The Supreme Court has held in a judgment that broadcasting through television for the purpose of the entertainment of the subscribers can be separately taxed by the Centre and the State concerned A Bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and N. Kotiswar Singh said The Centre can impose service tax on the broadcasting service while the State concerned can, on the other hand, make cable operators and entertainment providers liable to pay entertainment tax. 'Broadcasting service being a taxable service under the provisions of the Finance Act, 1994, read along with the amendments made from time to time would enable both the Parliament to impose service tax on broadcasting service and the State Legislatures having the legislative competence to levy entertainment tax on those who provide entertainment to the recipients [television viewers],' the top court interpreted the law. Justice Nagarathna, who authored the judgment dated May 22, said imposition of two different taxes on two separate aspects of the same activity - broadcasting service - was permissible in law. There was no danger of overlapping taxation. 'There is no overlapping in fact or in law, inasmuch as different aspects of the same activity are being taxed under two different legislations by two different legislatures. This is because the activity of broadcasting is a service and liable to service tax imposed by the Parliament (Entry 97 – Union List) and the activity of entertainment is a subject falling under (Entry 62 - State List),' Justice Nagarathna held. The court said the expression 'entertainment' came within the ambit of 'luxury' defined in Entry 62 of the State List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. 'Advances in technology have resulted in varied forms of entertainment through various media and in a variety of ways, not only in a public place but also in the confines of private space such as a home, through mobile or a cell phone or smartwatch and other personal devices, etc. The expression 'entertainments' must be given a broad, liberal and expansive meaning,' the court said.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Karnataka renames Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South without Centre's go-ahead
Karnataka's cabinet on Thursday decided to rename Ramanagara district, neighbouring the state capital, as Bengaluru South district, even though the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has not approved the renaming plan. A government notification announcing the renaming of Ramanagara district is expected shortly. Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar told reporters following a cabinet meeting that the renaming was being done as per rules, regulations and past amendments. 'Ramanagara city will remain the headquarters of the district. The cabinet has decided to rename it as Bengaluru South district from today,' he said. Shivakumar, who first proposed renaming the district months after the Congress came to power in the state in 2023, said that Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara were both part of the undivided Bengaluru district. 'To make sure that the Bengaluru name remains (for parts of Ramanagara), we are changing it,' he said. Asked whether the central government had cleared the proposal, he said that though a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Centre was required, the states were within their rights to rename districts. According to a note issued by the government following the cabinet meeting, the Union home ministry refused to issue an NOC for the proposal to rename the district. 'Schedule 7 of the Indian Constitution lists the different subjects in the Union List. Number 18 in the state list classifies land as a state subject and Number 45 in the state list says Land Revenue is also a state subject. Section(4) of The Karnataka Land Revenue Act empowers the state government to rename zones, taluks, creation of districts, changing them or withdrawing them, and renaming them,' the note added. The cabinet approved the plan to rename Ramanagara district as Bengaluru South in July 2024, following which the state government submitted a proposal to the ministry for an NOC, but the response was not positive. Bengaluru Metro cost escalation The cabinet also cleared a revised estimate of Rs 40,425 crore for work under Bengaluru Metro's phase 2. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the cost of the project had escalated from Rs 26,405 crore to Rs 40,252.02 crore, an increase of Rs 14,0198 crore. 'The revised estimate is proposed due to the increase in the cost of land acquisition and land required, a 30-100 per cent increase in the solatium due to a hike in the guidance value of land, a Rs 4,408.73-crore increase in the cost of civil works, and an increase in the length of phase 2 from 72.09 km to 75.06 km,' the minister said. Shivakumar said the government would go for a fresh tender on solid waste management in the city. Tenders for the collection and transportation of solid waste in Karnataka will be floated within four months under 33 packages. The estimated cost of the tender for seven years is Rs 4,791.95 crore.
The Print
02-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
The Centre must use the caste census wisely
Now, for the first time in nearly 94 years, the idea of including caste-based data in the census has resurfaced. The last time caste-based data was included in the census was in 1931. A decade later, while data was collected on caste for the next census, it couldn't be published due to World War II. When the 1951 census was conducted, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's government ended the collection of caste-based data, although columns for religion, Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs) remained. India's next population census was scheduled for 2020, with the data expected in 2021. However, it couldn't be conducted due to the Covid crisis. Meanwhile, opposition parties demanded that the central government include caste data in the upcoming census. It appeared that after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Narendra Modi government could initiate the census process at any time. Now, about a year after the general elections, the Centre has announced that the next population survey will include a caste census. Also read: Caste census will lead to the decline of Indian economy The consequences When Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was part of the INDIA bloc, he conducted a caste survey in his state, with the report released in 2023. He was a vocal proponent of caste-based enumeration and made significant contributions to social justice politics. Later, he joined hands with the BJP. After him, Rahul Gandhi continued to raise the issue of caste census, but his calls did not gain much traction, largely because, barring a few instances, the Congress party has not consistently supported the cause of social justice. After Nitish Kumar departed from the Opposition alliance, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah tabled the state's caste census report in the Assembly, while the Telangana government also conducted a caste survey. But both efforts faced resistance within the Congress for various reasons. It's worth noting that the subject of Census is listed at number 69 in the Union List of the Seventh Schedule. Interestingly, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) also supported the caste census, describing it as a sensitive issue. It advised against politicising the data and emphasised its use for empowering society. Now that the caste census is set to take place, we must understand its potential consequences. In a democracy where electoral power depends on numbers, many political parties may use the caste data to demand increased reservations and thereby expand their electoral base. The slogan of Kanshi Ram, 'Jiski jitni sankhya bhari, uski utni hissedari (greater the numbers, greater the share)', will echo in the streets. On the other hand, the data will help accurately assess the conditions of marginalised communities. The central government can use this information to improve existing welfare schemes and introduce new ones. Although over the past few years, the Centre has implemented several innovative schemes for the backward classes, SCs, and STs. The data will also assist in implementing the recommendations of the Rohini Commission, which advocated for sub-categorisation of other backward classes (OBC) to ensure that reservation benefits reach the most disadvantaged and marginalised within the backward classes. Currently, in every category, one or two dominant castes tend to receive the majority of the benefits of reservations. This data will also reveal the status of disadvantaged groups within Muslims and Christians, sparking a new debate. Any social justice measures implemented using this data that don't compromise national unity and the social fabric of the country should be welcomed. It remains to be seen, however, in which direction the debate on social justice moves in the wake of this caste census. Swadesh Singh is a Distinguished Fellow at India Foundation, New Delhi and teaches Political Science at Delhi University, Delhi. Views are personal. (Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'If you wanted caste-based census so badly, you should have done earlier': Chirag Paswan slams Congress
NEW DELHI: Union minister Chirag Paswan on Thursday directed his attack on the , accusing it of using the caste census as a 'political weapon to incite people's sentiments.' He questioned the party's intent, saying that if Congress was genuinely committed to a caste-based census , it should have implemented it during its long tenure in power. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Today, wants to take credit for this, saying that this happened under my pressure. Your party's government remained in the centre for a long time. Leave the party aside, there have been three Prime Ministers from your family. If you wanted a caste-based census in the country so badly, then you should have got it done earlier. But you used it as a political weapon and only worked to incite people's sentiments," Paswan told reporters. He praised Prime Minister for taking decisive action, saying, "Today, our government has fulfilled this demand. My Prime Minister is known for taking the right decisions at the right time. The opposition is saying that we have taken this decision in view of the Bihar elections, but if this decision had to be taken from the point of view of elections, then we would have taken this decision before the Lok Sabha elections.. ." Paswan further highlighted ongoing national priorities, assuring that the government remains focused on critical issues, including national security concerns, which is at the centre of discussion after terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam. "We have taken this decision, and there is still more work to be done. There are many important issues related to national security on which we have to Prime Minister will definitely take every decision which is related to the sentiments of the country," he said. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The Cabinet Committee on political affairs, headed by PM Modi, recently approved a caste census to be conducted alongside the national census. However, no official date for the exercise has been announced yet. This announcement comes just months before the upcoming . Bihar, notably, was the first state to initiate and conduct a caste-based survey in 2022. According to Article 246 of the Constitution, the census is a Union subject and is listed at number 69 in the Union List under the Seventh Schedule.
Hindustan Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah welcomes caste census, urges Centre to add socio-economic and educational survey
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hailed the Union Government's move to approve the caste census alongside the national population enumeration, but urged that it be accompanied by a wider survey to capture the social, economic, and educational realities of various communities. Also Read - Karnataka transport minister orders probe after bus driver offers Namaz during duty "Our Government wholeheartedly welcomes the decision, but I urge the Centre to take it a step further -- to gather data that can inform a scientific and equitable reservation policy," said CM Siddaramaiah. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah welcomes caste census, urges Centre to add socio-economic and educational survey "Based on that data, we have revised and expanded our reservation policy," he said, positioning Karnataka as a template for national implementation. The Congress leader also used the opportunity to credit Rahul Gandhi's consistent advocacy for caste census and reservation reform. "Even if Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn't acknowledge it, the country knows it was Rahul Gandhi's relentless pressure that brought the Centre to this decision," he said. Also Read - Fake sadhu cons Bengaluru car driver, steals ₹70,000 gold ring after performing 'magic': Report Siddaramaiah criticised past BJP opposition to caste-based data collection, saying the party once labelled it "divisive" and contrary to Hindu unity. "Their shift in stance is welcome, but it's clear that Congress's pressure and vision led the way," he asserted. Recounting his earlier tenure as Deputy Chief Minister, he said the idea for a caste census had been initiated during the Dharam Singh Government but was delayed until his return as Chief Minister. He highlighted that the Supreme Court itself has, on several occasions, underlined the need for robust socio-economic data to justify reservation policies. He further urged Prime Minister Modi to rein in BJP leaders in Karnataka who continue to oppose the state's survey efforts. "Just as they mocked our five Guarantee schemes and later adopted them, this change too reflects the growing influence of Congress's pro-people agenda," he added. Offering full cooperation to the Centre, Siddaramaiah said the Karnataka model is ready to serve as a blueprint. "We are fully prepared to guide the Union Government if needed," he stated. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated at a media briefing following the cabinet meeting that the decision demonstrates the present government's commitment to the holistic interests and values of the nation and society. As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the Census is a Union subject listed at 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said caste was excluded from all census operations conducted since independence.
