March 10th, 2013

ALB20130303

Abhyaas Law Bulletin

For the quintessential CLAT aspirant
The Scoop Of The Month
The Editors Column Dear Student, Welcome to the March edition of the Abhyaas law Bulletin. Like always, the last month of full of news with both the Union Budget and the Railway Budgets presented in the Parliament. There were no big suprises considering that these were the last full fledged budget s before the next general election. While taxing the super rich was on the cards, there were no changes to the Income Tax slabs. Most sectors saw increased allocation. There was a greater emphasis on Skill Development with dedicated budget to the National Skill Development Council (NSDC). In a pragmatic and growth-oriented gamble adhering to fiscal prudence, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram sought to focus on productive investment through a slew of incentives to kickstart the engines of growth, step up expenditure in social sectors to invigorate the economy in the longer term and provide a token tax break at the lowest slab rate to offset the inflationary burden. To provide for the various increased allocations in keeping with what the Economic Survey 2012-13 had prescribed, Mr. Chidambaram could not help but tap the well-heeled by way of one-year surcharge of 10 per cent on the super rich section of tax payers along with duties on imported or domestic luxury vehicles such as SUVs, mobile phones (priced over Rs. 2,000), and what has been the tax horse of most Finance Ministers cigarettes. With other minor tinkering of duties, including TDS (tax deducted at source) on sale of property worth Rs. 50 lakh, the net additional tax revenue in the kitty works out to Rs. 18,000 crore. However, given the challenges that he faced by way of low growth, high inflation, the widening fiscal and current account deficits coupled with lower than targeted revenue collection during (Contd.) Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged and buried in the Tihar jail after the President rejected his mercy petition. The hanging of the Rajiv Gandhi killers is stayed by the court. This entire episode reignited the debate on Death penalty and its use in modern times. Hyderabad bore the brunt of one more Bomb Blast. 17 people died in the Bomb Blasts in the crowded Dilsukhnagar area. The bomb blasts renewed the debate on the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC). Happy Reading !

No Major surprises in the Union Budget

(Rakesh Dubbudu) Index: Page 2: National Page 3: National Page 4: Spotlight

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March 10th, 2013 National: 2012-13, Mr. Chidambaram may have disappointed taxpayers at large as they were looking for some breaks in income-tax, the positive side is that Mr. Chidambaram has kept the tax slabs and rates unchanged. True to his commitment soon after he took over the reins at North Block, he has sought to steer the economy towards a higher growth path by cutting subsidies, pruning wasteful expenditure and concentrating at the big picture for the medium to long-term in a year when a certain amount of populism was anticipated in the UPA II governments last full-fledged budget ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. While doing a shade better than the targeted fiscal deficit of 5.3 per cent of the GDP at 5.2 per cent for the current fiscal, Mr. Chidambaram has stuck to his target of 4.8 per cent of the GDP for 2013-14, even while stepping up Defence allocation by 14 per cent over the revised estimates in the current fiscal to Rs 2,03,672 crore in the new fiscal. Similar hikes have been proposed in various sectors. In his budget proposals for 2013-14, Mr. Chidambaram kept the basic slabs and income tax rates unchanged but provided a tax break of Rs. 2,000 to individual tax payers with taxable income of up to Rs. 5 lakh. This itself is estimated to benefit 1.8 crore tax payers and work out to a revenue sacrifice of Rs. 3,600 crore. Likewise, first-time buyers of affordable home will get an additional deduction of interest of Rs. 1 lakh for loans up to Rs. 25 lakh, which will be over and above the current Rs. 1.5 lakh deduction allowed. Read the budget highlights here. would be a weekly service, and a similar venture between Bikaner and Chennai. Read the highlights of the Railway Budget 2013-14 here. Afzal Guru hanged in secrecy, buried in Tihar Jail In a top secret operation Feb 9th morning, the 2001 Parliament attack case convict Mohammed Afzal Guru was hanged and buried inside the Tihar jail complex. With this ended the decade-long uncertainty over the execution of the surrendered militant from Sopore, Kashmir, as his mercy petition got caught up in a political slugfest between the Congress-led UPA government and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party. 30-member JPC to probe VVIP helicopters deal Amid protests and walkout by the entire Opposition, the Government moved a motion in the Rajya Sabha ,which was adopted by voice vote for formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to inquire into the allegations of payment of bribes in the acquisition of VVIP helicopters by the Ministry of Defence from M/s AgustaWestland and the role of alleged middlemen in the transaction. The UPA was backed by parties supporting it from the outside, including the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party. The motion will later be moved in the Lok Sabha. The JPC will have 10 members from the Rajya Sabha and 20 from the Lok Sabha and shall give its report within three months of its first sitting. Before leading the walkout by members of the National Democratic Alliance (followed by the TDP, BJD, JD (U), AIADMK, Trinamool Congress, AGP and the Left parties), Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said it was a diversionary tactic as the JPC had no investigative powers. It could not be expected to sit and watch as the government waited for the report of the inquiry in Italy and for the preliminary report of the CBI. The matter required extradition and custodial interrogation of persons which the JPC could not do. He said that while Italian investigators had arrested the bribe-giver, the Indian government was silent on the identity of the bribe-takers.

Railway budget 2013-14: 67 express, 26 passenger trains introduced

As many as 67 express trains and 26 passenger trains are being introduced this year, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal announced during his presentation of the Railway Budget. Presenting the 2013-14 Railway Budget, Mr. Bansal also said that five Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMUs) are being introduced this year besides eight DEMUs. Besides, he proposed extension of as many as 57 trains and increasing the frequency of 24 trains. The express trains include Hazrat Nizamuddin-Mumbai AC Express via Bhopal, Khandwa and Bhusawal, which

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March 10th, 2013 Bill to regularise hawkers to be passed this session The Street Vendors Livelihood and Protection Bill will be passed in the budget session for inclusive planning and development of cities, Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Ajay Maken said. As per the Bill, licences to hawkers would be limited to 2.5% of the population of a city. Civic bodies would have to demarcate designated hawking zones. Once the Bill is passed, the local bodies and State governments will have to demarcate planned space for hawking. It is expected that they [local bodies] will do it in a minimum period of time. During that period, the local authorities or police cannot take action against hawkers, Mr. Maken said at a press conference. Most of the developed cities in the world were successfully following the proportion of 2.5% hawkers to the total population. According to the Bill, Town Vending and Zonal Vending Committees would be formed in each city. About 40% members of these committees would be elected representatives of hawkers unions, 10% from NGOs and the remaining would be from town planners, elected representatives of political parties and police authorities. Parliament passes Bill to prevent sexual harassment at workplace PSLV-C20 puts SARAL, 6 other satellites in precise orbits In a multiple launch mission, a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C20) put India-French satellite SARAL and six others into their precise orbits after its successful launch from the Sriharikota spaceport. This was the 22nd consecutive successful PSLV mission by the Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO). It was such a flawless mission that President Pranab Mukherjee, who was present at the Mission Control Centre, said he was delighted to be present during this meticulously executed launch and that the PSLV has become a household name in the country. The President was sure that the ISRO would scale greater heights in the coming years. He mentioned in this context the ISROs plans to launch the GeoSynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle with an indigenous cryogenic engine and Indias mission to Mars, both scheduled this year. ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan responded, saying the Presidents speech would really encourage, ignite and inspire the ISRO to execute what you want us to do. 2013 Academy Awards Presented Best Picture Argo Best Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis for Lincoln Best Actress - Jennifer Lawrence for Silver Linings Playbook Best Direction - Ang Lee for 'Life of Pi' Best Writing - Original Screenplay - Quentin Tarantino for 'Django Unchained' Best Writing - Adapted Screenplay - Chris Terrio for 'Argo' Best Original Song - Adele for 'Skyfall' Best Original Score - Mychael Danna for 'Life of Pi Best Production Design - 'Lincoln' - Rick Carter (Production Design); Jim Erickson (Set Decoration) Best Film Editing - William Goldenberg for 'Argo' Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables Best Supporting Actor - Christoph Waltz for Django Unchained Best Foreign Language Film Amour Best Visual Effects - `Life of Pi` Best Cinematography - Claudio Miranda for `Life of Pi` Best Animated Feature Film - `Brave`

Expressing concern at the increase in sexual offences against women, the Rajya Sabha approved the amended Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, that seeks to provide protection to women in unorganised and organised sectors including the private sector. The Bill covers sexual harassment of domestic help and agriculture workers. The Bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, was approved unanimously after Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Tirath gave an assurance to the House that stringent rules would be framed to ensure that the Bill was not just another piece of legislation without an implementation mechanism and effective monitoring. Cases of sexual harassment of women at workplace will have to be disposed of by in-house committees (that must be set up) within a period of 90 days failing which a penalty of Rs. 50,000 would be imposed. Repeated non-compliance with the provisions of the Bill can attract higher penalties and may lead to cancellation of licence or registration to conduct business. Sexual harassment, says the Bill, includes any one or more of unwelcome acts or behaviour like physical contact and advances etc.

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March 10th, 2013

This month in pictures:

Justice Kurien Joseph , CJ of HP High Court was elevated as a Supreme Court Judge.

Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose , CJ of AP High Court was elevated as a Supreme court Judge.

Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi will lead the election government in Nepal.

Park Geun-hye was sworn in as South Koreas first woman President.

Azim Premji transferred Wipro stock worth Rs.12,300 cr to trust.

Jerry Pinto has bagged The Hindu Literary Prize 2012 for his novel Em and the Big Hoom.

Spotlight: Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University, Lucknow

Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia National Law University (RMLNLU),is a university in Lucknow,Uttar Pradesh. The University is fully funded by the state government. The university was established by an act of the government of Uttar Pradesh in 2005 (U.P. Act No. 28) and officially opened on 4 January 2005. The university has been declared "fit to receive grants" by the UGC under Section 12 (b) of the UGC Act, in December 2011. Admission to the university is through the Common Law Admission Test. The intake for the 5 year B.A., LL.B course is 160 including all reservations. The University sustains its vibrant intellectual life and strong community spirit by encouraging collaboration and new ways of thinking, seeking new ways to support its work, and providing the finest facilities to its students. To provide easy access to the internet, campus wide wi-fi facility has been made available to the students. The library also provides the students with a web gateway, it houses 60 computers which are open to all. The university takes utmost care of physical health of the students. Various sports and other recreational facilities are available to the students which include a plush gym with high end modern equipments, football field, a multipurpose indoor sports complex, and upcoming Olympic size swimming pool, Lawn tennis and badminton courts . The university boasts of high-tech seminar halls and moot court halls, with audio-visual recording facilities.

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