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Bahujan Samaj Party on Wednesday extended support to the day-long Bharat Bandh called by some Dalit and Adivasi groups to protest against the Supreme Court's recent verdict on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs). The party also accused the BJP and the Congress of colluding to end reservation. It said these parties and others should understand the necessity of reservation and not play with it. «BSP supports the Bharat Bandh because there is anger and resentment against the Supreme Court's August 1 decision regarding the sub-classification of SC/ST and the creamy layer among them due to the conspiracy against reservation by parties like BJP and Congress and their collusion to make it ineffective and eventually end it,» BSP president Mayawati said in a post in Hindi on X. «In this regard, the people of these classes will submit a memorandum to the government today as part of the Bharat Bandh and strongly demand that the changes made in reservation be abolished through a constitutional amendment...,» she said.

merchants due to a spike in cases of tax evasion, people aware of the development told ET. The Directorate General of Goods and Service Tax Intelligence (DGGI) is working closely with startups, payment aggregators and payment gateways to monitor if merchants are selling the right products with the right GST invoices, they said. “Tax evasion is very common among small merchants, where they would enlist as a seller of one product which attracts GST at a lower slab, but engage in selling other products which attract higher GST… The tax authorities intend to catch such merchants,” said Wriju Ray, cofounder of Idfy, a Mumbai-based identity verification startup that helps payment aggregators deal with identity frauds.

Disney is no longer asking a Florida court to dismiss a wrongful death lawsuit on the grounds that the victim’s family had signed up for its streaming service Disney+

The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an investigation into a privately operated Tennessee prison where officials say violence and sexual abuse have gone unaddressed for years

Social media company X says it will close its operations in Brazil, claiming Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes threatened to arrest their legal representative in Brazil if they did not comply with orders

constitutional mandates was also a concern that weighed heavily on the Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) report of 2005 and is reflected in its 10th report titled — 'Refurbishing of Personnel Administration & Scaling New Heights'. The report reads how (senior executive system) SES — a western model — that draws the best talent from both the public and the private sector has its advantages; it may also have 'disadvantages specific to India'. Socio-cultural diversity apart, the report points to «the possible adverse impact of such recruitment (if done on a large scale) on the constitutional mandate for affirmative action as a result of the creation of a new recruitment channel at a senior level» besides conflict-of-interest concerns, lack of sufficient talent in the private sector and operational difficulties. Nevertheless, the Second ARC did recommend lateral entry from both — other services as well as private sector — preferably at no less than the additional secretary level for areas of expertise.

CCI) has asked Reliance Industries and Walt Disney as to why their proposed $8.5-billion merger of media assets in the country should not be probed over antitrust concerns, people aware of the development said. This could potentially delay regulatory clearance for the deal that is set to create India’s largest entertainment player, but such notices don’t mean the deal would be automatically derailed, they said. If anything, such notices give the parties a chance to address the antitrust regulator’s concerns through adequate explanations, further commitments or actions, a regulatory official told ET.

Anwar Ibrahim, who is on a state visit to India, stated on Tuesday that India has to grapple with some 'serious issues' concerning minorities and religious sentiments but it continues to play its rightful role. Ibrahim said, «I will not deny the fact that you also have to grapple with some serious issues affecting minorities or religious sentiments. But our hope is that India continues to play its role, rightful role because I mentioned to Prime Minister Modi, that these were the years when Nehru and Zhou Enlai and Sukarno and Nyerere were there standing up for the global south against colonialism and imperialism and to struggle to ensure that we recognize what humanity is about, what freedom is all about, and what dignity of men and women.» The Malaysian PM, who met with Prime Minister Modi earlier in the day, praised India, noting its remarkable intellectual and historical figures. «India has produced outstanding intellects such as Sri Aurobindo and leaders like Gandhi Ji, who played a unique role in the struggle for freedom, justice, and humanity,» he said. «You have intellectual giants who became leaders in their own countries, such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammed Ali Jinnah. India has produced great sages and leaders and is regarded by many of us as a beacon of hope and democracy in the region.

students have secured admissions to Delhi University's 71,600 undergraduate seats in the first round, according to an official statement released on Tuesday. The classes for the academic year 2024-45 for undergraduate (UG) students will commence on August 29. Around 11,224 students have «freezed» their course and college combinations, indicating they are taking additional time to finalise their decisions, it said. Meanwhile, 27,613 students have opted for an upgrade, meaning they have applied to change the college and course preferences allotted by the university, it added.

madrasas which impart religious education to students of other faiths and force them to attend worship practices contrary to their religious teachings will be stopped and legal action taken, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Tuesday. Yadav issued this warning during a meeting of cabinet ministers. The School Education Department has issued instructions enforcing a ban on religious teaching to students of faiths other than those prescribed by their respective religions, in compliance with Article 28(3) of the Constitution, as per an official release quoting Yadav. The chief minister said that government grants to madrasas (Islamic seminaries) that force students to study or participate in religious practices contrary to their own beliefs will be halted. Additionally, such institutions may face legal actions, including potentially cancelling their recognition.

Tata Steel UK's decarbonisation process with the release of an initial GBP 13.5 million of funding, also available to affected workers for them to retrain or acquire new skills for the employment market. In a statement from the Wales Office on Monday, the government said the funding from the Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board fund will support local businesses which are heavily reliant on Tata Steel as their primary customer, allowing them to turn towards new markets and customers where necessary. At a meeting last week, the board discussed how the funding will be allocated, monitored and evaluated to ensure «value for the taxpayer». «This funding is an important step towards supporting workers affected by Tata Steel's transition and businesses in the wider supply chain,» said Jonathan Reynolds, UK Business and Trade Secretary.

Mint spoke with say that the business class should be looked at in the context of the airline’s larger plan to focus on improving yields or average revenue per seat. It is also looking to expand globally through the Airbus 321XLR, which is likely to be inducted next year, and the Airbus 350, which is likely to join in 2027. Emails sent to IndiGo and Airbus seeking an official response on the recent development had not elicited any replies at the time of publishing.

complaint against India’s second-largest software services firm Infosys to the ministry of labour and employment over delay in onboarding of freshers, NITES said in a statement on Tuesday. NITES is an organisation working for the welfare, and rights of IT, BPO and KPO professionals in India. “We have filed a formal complaint against Infosys Limited for the ongoing exploitation and unprofessional treatment of over 2,000 young engineering graduates who were selected for System Engineer (SE) and Digital Specialist Engineer (DSE) roles during the 2022-23 recruitment drive,” Harpreet Singh Saluja, president, NITES, said in a statement.

Real estate firm Kalpataru Ltd, which plans to launch its maiden public issue, has posted a consolidated net loss of Rs 100.74 crore during the last financial year on lower income. Its net loss stood at Rs 200.73 crore in the preceding 2022-23 fiscal. Last week, Mumbai-based Kalpataru Ltd filed a preliminary document with capital markets regulator Sebi to launch its initial public offering (IPO) to raise up to Rs 1,590 crore, mainly to reduce debt.

Government on Tuesday instructed the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) chairman to cancel the recent lateral entry advertisement. The directive, issued under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes amid growing political controversy over the lateral entry process. In a letter addressed to the UPSC chairman, Jitendra Singh, the Minister of State (MoS) for the Department of Personnel and Training, conveyed the Prime Minister's stance that the lateral entry process must adhere to the principles of equity and social justice as stated in the Indian Constitution, particularly concerning the provisions of reservation. The government emphasized that the lateral entry mechanism needs to be reviewed and reformed to align with PM Modi's focus on ensuring social justice. «Cancelling the advertisement would be a significant advance in the pursuit of social justice and empowerment,» the letter stated.

Congress on Tuesday claimed that the Centre's move to withdraw the latest advertisement for lateral entry in bureaucracy was due to the criticism by the Leaders of the Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge — along with others. The remarks came after Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh wrote to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman Preeti Sudan and asked her to cancel the advertisement so that marginalised communities get their rightful representation in government services. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh tagged Singh's letter and said on X, «A letter from a Union Minister working under a non-biological PM to a Constitutional authority without a date. What pathetic governance this is.» «Even so, this is clearly the impact of the criticism of the Leaders of the Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and others,» he said in another post.

UPSC lateral entry recruitment scheme, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin on Tuesday termed it a direct assault on social justice, adding that a caste census is imperative to guarantee basic rights to backward classes. In a post on social media platform X, he listed out the steps to uphold social justice and safeguard reservation. «Lateral Entry is a direct assault on social justice, depriving meritorious SC, ST, OBC and minority officers of their deserved opportunities at the top. The Union Government must halt this practice, prioritise filling backlog vacancies for OBCs & SC/STs, and ensure fair and equitable promotions,» he posted on X.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) deputy managing director Gita Gopinath recently observed that increasing workplace safety is an important factor in raising women’s participation in the labour force and the workforce (the former makes up for a broader cohort, of those looking for work, in addition to those who are at work and comprise the workforce). This has particular resonance in India right now, given the shock and outrage across the country over the gruesome rape and murder of a medical intern at a Kolkata hospital earlier this month. IMF research shows that closing the gender gap in labour force participation rates (LFPR) can raise gross domestic product (GDP) in developing countries significantly.

Donald Trump has dropped in a major statement around Kamala Harris' looks and this time, has drawn comparison to himself, after the Vice President featured in the magazine cover of Time. Donald Trump is always known for such statements and remarks in the press and on social media that keeps the headlines revolving around him, but the stark difference right now is that the former President is currently a Republican candidate and cannot afford to lose votes over such issues.

Bangladesh has filed more than a dozen cases so far against Sheikh Hasina since her ouster as prime minister, people familiar with the matter said, alleging that the cases have been filed at the insistence of Hasina's adversary, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Last week, Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal also launched an investigation against the former PM and nine others on charges of «genocide and crimes against humanity» during the student protest that led to her ouster. The tribunal is a domestic court that deals with the issues of international crimes such as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Last Tuesday, the deposed PM was slapped with a murder case along with six others over the death of a grocery shop worker amid the July unrest. The next day, a case of enforced disappearance was filed against her and several former members of her cabinet, on charges of kidnapping a lawyer in 2015. On Saturday, another case was filed against her, in connection with the death of a student during the protest.

telecom operators' suggestion to bring internet call and messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Meet under the ambit of telecom licences. Broadband India Forum (BIF) President TV Ramachandran, in a statement, said bringing OTT (over-the-top) services under the Telecom Act is in complete violation of Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equal treatment to every person and entity. «Comparing OTT services to telecom services of voice and SMS is completely erroneous and overlooks the vast and critical differences between the two categories,» Ramachandran said. He said telecom service providers enjoy several exclusive and unique rights that include the right to interference-free spectrum, numbering resources, right of way to set up infrastructure etc. However, OTT players neither have these privileges nor do they own the network or control the access to telecom infrastructure.