Prosecute corrupt tax dept officials: Madras HC

Prosecute corrupt tax dept officials: Madras HC

The court passed the order while pointing out the failure on part of the department to collect tax dues pending since 2006.

Published: 29th July 2021 07:01 AM 

Madras High Court

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Commercial Tax Department to prosecute its corrupt officials through Department of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) for causing revenue loss to the State. The court also ordered verification of assets owned by them and their relatives. The court passed the order while pointing out the failure on part of the department to collect tax dues pending since 2006.

“If misconduct or otherwise is proved, then further actions are to be initiated to recover the loss of State revenue from those officials,” Justice S M Subramaniyam said in a July 20 order. The court passed the directions while allowing a writ petition from GE Govindaraj, who sought to quash a notice dated October 4, 2012 of the Assistant Commissioner in Arisipalayam Assessment Circle in Salem district. The notice sought to recover sales tax arrears for 2000-01 and 2001-02.

The judge noted that the authority had initiated action to recover the arrears after a lapse of 10 years, which was against TNGST Rules. The two authorities shall coordinate with DVAC by conducting frequent surprise raids to control the evil menace of corrupt activities of demand and acceptance of bribes or receipt of freebies from the business community across the State.

“If any such offences are identified then all actions, including criminal action, are to be initiated,” said the judge. The judge also directed them to issue suitable orders to all the authorities competent to verify the service records of the officials of the Commercial Tax Department and make a comparison with the actual assets of the family members as well as the declared assets in the service records and if any disproportionality of wealth is identified, all suitable actions are to be initiated under the Service Rules in force.

“They shall ensure that all long-pending cases regarding State revenue are reviewed periodically on a war footing and reports are collected and initiate speedy steps to protect the interest of State revenue, as it is the constitutional mandate and to protect the interest of the public at large,” said the bench.

NEET-UG: NTA gives clarity on exam and marking pattern

NEET-UG: NTA gives clarity on exam and marking pattern

Nearly two weeks after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced changes to the paper pattern for the upcoming National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG), the authority on Monday clarified doubts of several candidates regarding the marking pattern

By Shreya Bhandary

PUBLISHED ON JUL 27, 2021 12:22 AM IST

Nearly two weeks after the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced changes to the paper pattern for the upcoming National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG), the authority on Monday clarified doubts of several candidates regarding the marking pattern.

“The test pattern of NEET-UG has been modified, and in every subject students will attempt 35 questions mandatorily and of the remaining 15, one should attempt only 10 questions. It is important that the candidates do not attempt more than 10 questions because only the first 10 attempted questions will be considered for evaluation/marking,” said the response shared by the official NTA email.

This is the first time since its inception that the exam pattern for NEET-UG has been changed.

Until 2020, the NEET-UG paper pattern consisted of 180 objective-type questions from physics, chemistry and biology (botany and zoology) that had to be answered on a specially designed sheet using a ballpoint pen only. Each correct answer gave students four marks and each wrong answer deducted one mark. According to NTA, the new paper pattern will comprise of two sections under each subject.

Section A will consist of 35 questions which students have to attempt compulsorily, and section B will consist of 15 questions from which the candidate can choose to attempt any 10 questions.

“As students have to choose and attempt only 10 out of the 15 questions, the utilisation of time will remain the same, thus clarifying that the total time given for the exam remains the same this year as well (sic),” stated NTA response.

“We are glad that NTA has reverted to our emails and specified the marking scheme, clearing all doubts in the minds of the aspirants. Many were confused about the change in paper pattern and this response from NTA has given much required relief to more than 1.5 million NEET aspirants,” said Ruiee Kapoor, parent and activist.

In a statement released earlier this month, NTA clarified that the changes were introduced keeping in mind the reduction of syllabus by various school education boards for their Class 12 students in 2020-21, considering the loss of academic time due to Covid-19.

“To rationalise the decision of reduction in the syllabus by various school education boards, NTA has taken the decision to provide choice in Section “B” for each of the four subjects,” clarified NTA.

பிச்சை எடுப்பதை தடை செய்ய முடியாது: உச்சநீதிமன்றம்

பிச்சை எடுப்பதை தடை செய்ய முடியாது: உச்சநீதிமன்றம்

Updated : ஜூலை 27, 2021 12:43 | Added : ஜூலை 27, 2021 12:40 |

புதுடில்லி: 'யாரும் விருப்பப்பட்டு பிச்சை எடுப்பதில்லை, வறுமையின் காரணமாகவே பிச்சை எடுக்கின்றனர்' எனக்கூறியுள்ள உச்சநீதிமன்றம், 'பிச்சை எடுப்பதை தடை விதிக்க முடியாது' என தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

கோவிட் பரவலைத் தடுக்கும் விதமாக போக்குவரத்து சந்திப்புகளிலும், சந்தைகளிலும், பொது இடங்களிலும் பிச்சை எடுப்பதற்கு பிச்சைக்காரர்களுக்கும், வீடற்றவர்களுக்கும் தடை விதிக்குமாறும், அவர்களுக்குப் புனர்வாழ்வு அளிக்க உத்தரவிடுமாறும் கோரி உச்ச நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்கு தொடரப்பட்டது. இந்த வழக்கு இன்று (ஜூலை 27) நீதிபதி சந்திரசூட் அமர்வு முன்பு விசாரணைக்கு வந்தது. அப்போது பிச்சை எடுப்பதற்கு தடை விதிக்க முடியாது என உச்சநீதிமன்றம் தெரிவித்துள்ளது

மேலும் நீதிபதிகள் கூறியதாவது: யாரும் விருப்பப்பட்டு பிச்சை எடுப்பதில்லை. வறுமையின் காரணமாகவே பிச்சை எடுக்கின்றனர். பிச்சை எடுப்பதை உயர் வர்க்கத்தின் கண்ணோட்டத்திலிருந்து பார்ப்பதை நாங்கள் விரும்பவில்லை. பிச்சை எடுப்பதற்காக மக்கள் வீதிகளில் இறங்குவது அவர்களின் அடிப்படை வாழ்வாதாரத்தைக் காட்டுகிறது. இது ஒரு சமூக, பொருளாதாரப் பிரச்னை. ஒரு உத்தரவால் இதை சரி செய்ய முடியாது. இவ்வாறு நீதிபதிகள் கூறினர். மேலும் "கோவிட் விவகாரத்தில் பிச்சைக்காரர்களுக்கும், வீடற்றவர்களுக்கும் மற்றவர்களைப் போலவே மருத்துவ வசதி பெற உரிமை இருக்கிறது," எனக்கூறிய நீதிபதிகள், இந்த வழக்கு தொடர்பாக பதிலளிக்குமாறு மத்திய அரசுக்கு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளனர்.

சென்னை ரேஸ் கிளப் தலைவராக எம்ஏஎம்ஆர் முத்தையா தேர்வு

Published : 27 Jul 2021 07:09 am

சென்னை ரேஸ் கிளப் தலைவராக எம்ஏஎம்ஆர் முத்தையா தேர்வு

chennai-race-club

சென்னை ரேஸ் கிளப் தலைவராக தொழிலதிபர் எம்ஏஎம்ஆர் முத்தையா போட்டியின்றி தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார். நேற்று முன்  தினம் நடைபெற்ற ஆண்டு பொதுக்கூட்டத்தில் அவர் கிளப்பின் தலைவர் மற்றும் மூத்த ஸ்டூவர்டாகத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்டார்.

தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்ட நிர்வாகக்குழு உறுப்பினர்கள் விவரம்:

எம்ஏஎம்ஆர் முத்தையா, அருண் அழகப்பன், சதுரங்க காந்த்ராஜ் உர்ஸ், டி.தேவநாதன் யாதவ், கே.கலியபெருமாள், எஸ்.பி. லட்சுமணன், பால் அந்தோணி, ஆர்எம். ராமசாமி, ரமேஷ் ரங்கராஜன், எம்.ரவி, ரஞ்ஜித் ஜேசுதாசன், எம்.செந்தில்நாதன், அபூர்வா வர்மா ஐஏஎஸ், பி.ஜோதி நிர்மலாசாமி ஐஏஎஸ்,குமார் ஜெயந்த் ஐஏஎஸ், எஸ்.கே.பிரபாகர் ஐஏஎஸ்.

ஸ்டூவர்ட்ஸ்: எம்.ஏ.எம்.ஆர். முத்தையா (மூத்த ஸ்டூவர்டு), அருண் அழகப்பன், சதுரங்க காந்தராஜ் உர்ஸ், டி. தேவநாதன் யாதவ், எம்.ரவி, ரமேஷ் ரங்கராஜன், அபூர்வா வர்மா ஐஏஎஸ்,பி.ஜோதி நிர்மலாசாமி ஐஏஎஸ்,குமார் ஜெயந்த் ஐஏஎஸ், ஸ்.கே.பிரபாகர் ஐ.ஏ.எஸ்.

முறையீட்டு குழு: பால் அந்தோணி (தலைவர்), எஸ்.பி. லட்சுமணன், ஆர்எம். ராமசாமி, ரஞ்ஜித் ஜேசுதாசன் மற்றும் கே.ஆர். முத்துக்கருப்பன்.

State pitches for UGC recognition for Rajendra varsity

State pitches for UGC recognition for Rajendra varsity

TNN | Jul 18, 2021, 01.42 PM IST

BHUBANESWAR: Rajendra University’s application for the grant of recognition, following its upgrade to a varsity, was rejected by the University Grants Commission (UGC) last year.

However, the matter came to light on Friday when the higher education department wrote a letter to the commission requesting it to re-examine the issue and grant the recognition to the university situated in Balangir district.

The institution had sought recognition according to Section 2(f) of the UGC Act. The commission provides financial assistance to eligible colleges, which are included in Section 2(f), and declared fit to receive central assistance (UGC grant) under Section 12 (B) of the UGC Act, 1956.

The commission had rejected the application for the recognition of the university in December last year saying, “As the university has been notified through a government notification and not established by an Act of the state legislature, it cannot be included in the list of universities established as per Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act, 1956.” In the letter to the UGC, higher education department’s secretary Saswat Mishra said, “It is legally and factually wrong to say that Rajendra University has not been established under any Act of the state legislature. The Odisha Universities Act, 1989 — a valid legislation of the state legislature — empowers the state government to establish new universities by way of notification.”

Mishra further said the government has created several other universities, including the Rama Devi Women’s University, the Fakir Mohan University and GM University Sambalpur under Section 32(1) of the Odisha Universities Act, 1989. Many of these universities have already got UGC recognition under Section 2 (f) of the UGC Act. Denying the same to Rajendra University defies logic, he added.

Rajendra University’s vice-chancellor Umaballava Mohapatra said, “We had applied for the recognition, but the UGC rejected it. According to the Odisha Universities Act, 1989, the state government may establish one or more new universities by altering the territorial jurisdiction of any of the existing universities by notification.”

UGC regulations not binding on government: Odisha tells HC

UGC regulations not binding on government: Odisha tells HC

TNN | Jul 20, 2021, 12.28 PM IST

CUTTACK: The controversy over the amendment of the Odisha Universities Act, 1989 has intensified with the state government telling the Orissa high court that the regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) are not binding on it.In an affidavit, higher education departments deputy secretary Surya Narayan Mohapatra said, “The UGC regulations are binding on the state government to the limited extent of coordinating and determining the standards of higher education.”

When the Orissa Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 was brought nearly nine months ago, the BJD government had claimed that the main aim behind it was to bring all universities in the state under one Act.

But the move triggered a controversy with opposition from different quarters, especially educationists and opposition parties demanding complete withdrawal of the amendment.

The controversy reached the high court with retired Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Ajit Kumar Mohanty and Utkal University professor Kunja Bihari Panda along with others filing two separate PILs seeking intervention against it.

Responding to the notices, the UGC took a stand against Orissa Universities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and claimed in an affidavit that it was in conflict with its 2018 regulations issued under the University Grant Commission Act, 1956. The state government had filed the affidavit in reply to UGC’s affidavit on July 14. The matter has been posted to August 4.

In the affidavit, Mohapatra said the UGC stand is limited to the amendments dealing with the appointment of vice-chancellors and teaching staff of the universities. He said the UGC has not opposed the other amendments made vide the Odisha University (Amendment) Act, 2020.

“By way of the Amendment Act, 2020 the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has been entrusted with the recruitment of teaching staff of universities following the recommendation of the chancellor. Recruitment of teaching/research staff through the OPSC will usher in greater transparency and will ensure that the best candidates are selected,” Mohapatra claimed in the affidavit.

“The state government had, by the amendment, changed the composition of the selection committee for the recommendation of names to the chancellor for appointment to the post of vice-chancellor without any change in the standard and qualifications required for the post. A change in the composition of the selection committee also does not prejudicially affect the standards of education as prescribed by parliament,” the deputy secretary claimed.

NMC renewal to Gian Sagar gets MARB nod for admission to 2nd batch of MBBS course

NMC renewal to Gian Sagar gets MARB nod for admission to 2nd batch of MBBS course

TNN | Jul 24, 2021, 05.40 PM IST

PATIALA: Application of the Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital for first renewal of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has been approved for admissions to the second batch of the MBBS course.

The renewal has been approved by the Medical Assessment and Rating Board (MARB) which is an Indian regulatory body that regulates medical education and medical professionals.

Dr AS Sekhon, Dean of the Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital, Ramnagar, in Patiala district, said that Gian Sagar Medical College has an annual intake of 150 students in MBBS course. The college, run by the Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust, is affiliated to the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.

Dr Sekhon said that the College had been closed down in 2017 and then last year, in 2020, it had again been granted Letter of Permission (LOP) by the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India, essentiality certificate by the Punjab government and certificate of affiliation (COA) by the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences.

He said that the first batch of 150 students was admitted to the MBBS in 2020 after MCI (Medical Council of India) nod for admissions.

Notably, the Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital was given an essentiality certificate by the Punjab government allowing it to start MBBS, BDS, Bachelors in Physiotherapy and Bachelors in Nursing courses in July 2019. Admissions for 60 seats each in the Bachelors in Physiotherapy and Bachelors in Nursing courses were made in 2019.