PTR reaches out to opposition after war of words

PTR reaches out to opposition after war of words

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.08.2021

Taking a leaf out of his leader’s book to embrace all, finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Tuesday went to the opposition benches and was seen interacting cheerfully with former minister and MLA K P Munusamy and some AIADMK colleagues. This comes a day after a war of words broke out between them over the DMK’s unkept poll promises and the remarks that were subsequently expunged by the assembly speaker.

Minutes before the day’s proceedings commenced in the assembly, the finance minister made a dash for the opposition benches, leaving the media, the assembly marshals and the MLAs perplexed. Then Thiaga Rajan was seen searching for someone. “He is there,” a staff member politely told the minister, pointing to Munusamy, seated in the last row of the opposition benches. The minister rushed to Munsamy, who is also deputy coordinator of the AIADMK, and greeted the former minister with folded palms and interacted with him for a few minutes.

Soon after certain remarks against the member triggered a debate on Monday, with leader of opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami expressing strong objections, chief minister M K Stalin expressed regret and requested speaker M Appavu to expunge it. Munusamy rose to say the minister sought apology days ago to another AIADMK legislator for his remarks, proving his magnanimity and maturity. Only certain words used by Thiaga Rajan proved wrong at times, Munusamy said.

On Tuesday, sources said Thiaga Rajan sought to explain his remarks. “He thanked Munusamy for appreciating his magnanimity and maturity,” said a leader. The AIADMK MLAs, including former electricity minister P Thangamani, came around and greeted Thiaga Rajan, before appreciating his “work” as a first-time minister. They were all smiles.

Tamil Nadu registers 1,585 new cases of Covid-19, 27 deaths

Tamil Nadu registers 1,585 new cases of Covid-19, 27 deaths

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.08.2021

Covid-19 cases which has been on a decline in the state since August 12 continued to follow the trend on Tuesday with Tamil Nafu recording 1,585 new cases, taking the total number of positive cases in the state to 26.04 lakh.

The state recorded 27 deaths on Tuesday, two more than what was recorded the previous day. So far, 34,761 deaths have been recorded in the state.

According to the official bulletin, Coimbatore recorded the highest number of cases-190, followed by Chennai, which recorded 165 cases.

Of the 27 deaths, three are deaths without comorbodities, including a 27 year old man from Tiruppur who got admitted with complaints of fever and breathing difficulty three days ago.

Maximum number of deaths were recorded in Tiruppur (5) followed by Coimbatore (4). At least 23 districts recorded zero deaths.

The number of active cases as on date, including those in isolation is 18,603.

Chennai reported 165 cases on Tuesday, while the three neighbouring districts, Tiruvallur (60), Chengalpet (92), and Kancheepuram (31) together reported 183 cases.

As on date, the capital city has recorded 5,42,902 cases – 21 % of the total positive cases in the state.

The death tally in the capital city as on Sunday is 8386.

Apart from Coimbatore, which recorded maximum number of cases in the state, the other districts in the western region- Erode (138), Tiruppur (65), Salem (79) too recorded more cases.

Fresh cases of Covid-19 went down further in central region on Tuesday. Central region reported 289 fresh covid positive cases on Tuesday. The region had recorded 305 fresh cases on Monday. The number of discharged patients remain 339 on Tuesday for the third consecutive day. The active cases of the region dipped further to 3520 from 3577 of yesterday. Trichy registered 46 fresh cases on Tuesday, continuing to have fresh cases below 50 for the last few days.

Pondy administers 7.8 lakh vaccines

Healthcare authorities have so far administered 7.85 lakh doses of Covid-19 vaccine (including the second dose) to the beneficiaries in the Union territory of Puducherry. They have so far tested 16.16 lakh swab samples for Covid-19 infection of which 13.72 lakh samples returned negative. The territory reported 73 fresh cases even as 103 patients recovered bringing down the active cases to 765. Of them, 603 are under home isolation and treatment. A 63-year-old man from Karaikal died of the infection taking the death toll to 1,809. The positivity rate of the samples (3,131) tested on Tuesday stood at 2.3%. TNN

‘College staff to be sent on leave if not vaccinated fully’

The regional joint director of collegiate education (RJDCE), Coimbatore, R Ulagi on Tuesday issued an order to all government, aided and self-financing colleges in Coimbatore to send both teaching and non-teaching staff on compulsory leave if they were not fully vaccinated from September

1. The order follows a direction issued by the district collector on Monday to education institutions to allow their staff, who had taken both doses of vaccine against Covid-19, to resume work from September 1. TNN

Corporation status for Tambaram, five more municipalities

Corporation status for Tambaram, five more municipalities

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:25.08.2021

Six municipalities in Tamil Nadu — Tambaram, Kancheepuram, Kumbakonam, Karur, Cuddalore and Sivakasi — would soon be upgraded into corporations by merging adjoining areas with them, said minister for municipal administration K N Nehru in the assembly on Tuesday.

The move would increase the number of municipal corporations in the state from 15 to 21, help address infrastructure imbalance in areas adjoining urban local bodies and improve the living condition of people, officials said.

Tambaram would be upgraded into a corporation by merging Pallavaram, Sembakkam, Pammal and Anakaputhur municipalities and nearby areas, the minister said while replying to the debate on demand for grants for the municipal administration department. Nehru also announced that Trichy, Nagercoil, Thanjavur and Hosur corporations and Chengalpet, Poonamallee and Mannarkudi municipalities would be expanded by merging nearby developed areas with them.

₹300cr for parks & waterbodies in TN

Waterbodies and parks in urban local bodies across TN will be restored and amenities will be upgraded at a cost of ₹300 crore. The government would also roll out wage employment programme for urban poor in Chennai at a cost of ₹100 crore.

Govt decision will improve infrastructure

The elected members of the local bodies in the territories falling under the new corporations, expanded corporations and expanded municipalities would continue in posts till the next local body elections.

He announced upgradation of Pallapatti, Thittakudi, Mangadu, Kundrathur, Nandhivaram, Guduvanchery, Ponneri, Thiruninravur, Sholingar, Edanganasalai, Taramangalam, Thirumuruganpoondi, Gudalur, Karamadai, Karumathampatti, Madukkarai, Vadalur, Kottakuppam, Thirukovilur, Ulundurpet, Adirampattinam, Manamadurai, Surandai, Kalakadu, Thiruchendur, Kollankode, Mursiri and Lalgudi town panchayats into municipalities. Pugalur municipality would be created by merging Punjaipugalur and TNPL Pugalur town panchayats. The government’s decision to upgrade and expand the urban local bodies would improve the basic amenities and infrastructure in the region by better mobilisation of land resources and finance. Going by the 2011 census, 75% of the male workers in the expanded areas are in non-agricultural sector — an indication of urbanisation of the area, said an official.

‘Annual income not basis for deciding creamy layer’

‘Annual income not basis for deciding creamy layer’

Apex Court Says It Has To Be Done On The Basis Of A Mix Of Social, Economic And Other Relevant Factors

AmitAnand.Choudhary@timesgroup.com

New Delhi:25.08.2021

Holding that annual earnings cannot be the sole criterion for identifying the ‘creamy layer’ among the backward communities to deny reservation, the Supreme Court on Tuesday held that it has to be done on the basis of a mix of social, economic and other relevant factors and not the economic criteria alone.

A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and Aniruddha Bose quashed 2016 notification issued by the Haryana government by which sections of backward classes earning above ₹6 lakh per annum were to be considered as ‘creamy layer’. The bench said the decision of the state government was in violation of the principles laid down by the apex court in Indra Sawhney case.

The court said the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institutions) Act, 2016 makes it mandatory for identification and exclusion of ‘creamy layer’ to be on the basis of social, economic and other relevant factors but the the state wrongly sought to determine ‘creamy layer’ solely on the basis of economic criterion and has committed a “grave error” in doing so.

“Therefore, we quash the notification, giving liberty to the state government to issue a fresh notification within a period of 3 months from today after taking into account the principles laid down by this court in Indra Sawhney case and the criteria mentioned in Section 5(2) of the 2016 Act for determining creamy layer,” the bench said. The court, however, said that admissions to educational institutions and appointment to state services on the basis of the notifications shall not be disturbed.

The court noted that the notification issued by the state in 1995 was in tune with the judgment of the court in Indra Sawhney case but the 2016 notification was in violation of the verdict.

“The said notification excluded certain persons who held constitutional posts and those who were in employment of the state and the Centre in higher posts from the benefit of reservation. In addition, the social advancement of other categories was taken into account for the purpose of including such categories in ‘creamy layer’. Strangely, by 2016 notification, the identification of ‘creamy layer’ amongst backward classes was restricted only to the basis of economic criterion. In clear terms, this court held in Indra Sawhney case that the basis of exclusion of ‘creamy layer’ cannot be merely economic,” the bench said.

Referring to Indra Sahney verdict, the court said it was held that persons from backward classes who occupied posts in higher services like IAS, IPS and All-India Services had reached a higher level of social advancement and economic status and therefore, were not entitled to be treated as backward.

“Such persons were to be treated as ‘creamy layer’ without any further inquiry. Likewise, people with sufficient income who were in a position to provide employment to others should also be taken to have reached a higher social status and therefore, should be treated as outside the backward class. Similarly, persons from backward classes who had higher agricultural holdings or were receiving income from properties, beyond a prescribed limit, do not deserve the benefit of reservation. The above-mentioned categories were necessarily to be excluded from backward classes,” the court said.

HC verdict in Kodanad case on August 27

HC verdict in Kodanad case on August 27

Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com

Chennai:25.08.2021`

The Madras high court will deliver its verdict on a plea for further investigation into a case relating to murder and burglary at Kodanad estate, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s summer retreat in the Nilgiris, on August 27.

Justice M Nirmal Kumar, after listening to animated arguments of Tamil Nadu advocate-general R Shunmugasundaram and two other senior counsel, reserved the verdict on Tuesday. “This issue must not be used for some other purpose, that is my only concern,” the judge said.

The matter relates to a petition filed by prosecution witness, N Ravi, seeking day-today hearing in the case and early conclusion of trial in the Nilgiris sessions court.

AG: Govt promised logical end; don’t have any intention of harming anyone

Allaying apprehensions, advocate general Shunmugasundaram justified the police inquiry held with the key surviving suspect KV Sayan, and said: “We are ultimately going to place the truth. We have no intention to malign anyone.” Ruling out any motive behind commencing further investigation in the case, the AG said it was a poll promise of the ruling DMK. “The government has promised to find a logical conclusion in the case. We have no intention to harm anyone.”

Shunmugasundaram said Section 173 (8) of CrPC does not specify that prior permission of the magistrate is required to commence further investigation. “The proviso nowhere states that any prior permission must be sought for further investigation,” he said. The investigation officer is only duty bound to inform the court and seek formal permission. They are not mandated to obtain permission, the AG clarified.

Earlier, representing Ravi, senior advocate I Subramaniam argued that police had commenced further investigation in the case even without the prior approval of the magistrate concer ned.

“The Supreme Court has made it clear that such prior approval is a must to commence further investigation,” he said.

Supporting his argument, former advocategeneral A L Somayaji said such further investigation could be allowed only till the trial commences in the case. “In the present case, the trial has already commenced. Therefore, there is no question of granting permission for further investigation,” he said.

There is a prima facie case for the court to stay further investigation, he added.

UAE suspends visa-on-arrival for desi flyers

UAE suspends visa-on-arrival for desi flyers

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:24.08.2021

The UAE has temporarily suspended visa-on-arrival for flyers from India who have been here 14 days before touching down there, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad airline said. International travel rules are constantly changing during the pandemic and travellers must check for destinationspecific requirements before planning a trip.

“The UAE authorities have decided to temporarily suspend the visa-on-arrival facility for passengers who are arriving from or been in India in the past 14 days. We're working to update our website,” Etihad’s official guest relations Twitter account said on Monday.

Oman has allowed fully vaccinated travellers from India (those who have got Covishield) starting September1. The second dose should have been taken at least 14 days before heading there, among other conditions that must be met for flyers to be allowed into Oman.

Fix I-T portal glitches by Sept 15, FM tells Infosys

Fix I-T portal glitches by Sept 15, FM tells Infosys

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi:24.08.2021

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday asked Infosys, the technology vendor for the faulty income tax portal, to fix all glitches by September 15, while conveying the “deep disappointment and concerns” of the government and taxpayers over the company’s failure to fix the problems even two and a half months after the platform was launched.

During her meeting with Infosys CEO Salil Parekh, Sitharaman made her displeasure known, with the company brass now realising how seriously the Centre was taking the issue, a source told TOI. The sense in the government is that Infosys was moving to remove the snags at a very slow pace, something it had done with GST Network as well where it managed to extract time from the government.

At that time, Infosys chairman Nandan Nilekani had been asked to explain the issues at a meeting of the GST Council, the higher-powered panel comprising state and Union finance ministers.

“The message seems to have finally sunk in,” an official said as the FM on Monday sought an explanation from the IT company over repeated issues being faced by taxpayers, tax practitioners as well as officials. Separately, the company had also failed in providing a smooth transition to an upgraded MCA-21, a platform for corporate filings and database, and had been called out even them.

“The ministry of finance emphasised that there is a need for putting in more resources and efforts on the part of Infosys so that the much-delayed delivery of agreed services is ensured. Parekh was also sensitised on the difficulties that the taxpayers were facing and the problems that are arising on account of the delays in the functioning of the portal,” the finance ministry said in a statement on Monday.