Daily Bulletin: GST panel meet today to look at ways to improve GST collection; Delhi HC to give verdict on P Chidambaram's bail plea; day's top stories

Panel formed to suggest steps for improving GST collections to hold first meeting today

A high-level panel set up by the government to suggest measures to augment GST revenue collection will hold its first meeting today (Tuesday), a senior official said. The government, last week, constituted the panel of officers to suggest steps to expand the tax base and check evasion in the backdrop of falling revenue collections under GST.

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections dropped sharply to a 19-month low in September to Rs 91,916 crore, reflecting the slowdown in the economy.

“The first meeting of the committee is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, 15 October,” GST Council special secretary Rajeev Ranjan said.

The committee has been given 15 days to submit its report, he said. This is going to be the first comprehensive review of the GST after it was rolled out on 1 July 2017.

INX Media case against P Chidambaram: Delhi court to pronounce verdict today on ED's plea seeking arrest, 

A Delhi court on Monday reserved order on the Enforcement Directorate's plea seeking to arrest and interrogate former finance minister P Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case.

"I will pass orders on the applications tomorrow (Tuesday)," special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar said.

File photo of Congress leader P Chidambaram. PTI

At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the ED, told special judge Ajay Kumar Kuhar that there is a finding by the Supreme Court that custodial interrogation of Chidambaram is necessary.

Money laundering is a separate offence, Mehta said and moved an application for Chidambaram's arrest and remand.

The plea was vehemently opposed by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Chidambaram, who said that the CBI has already taken remand and ED has no ground since the offence is same.

"CBI has already sought his custody for investigating payment and companies abroad, which the ED wants to probe now," he said.

Sibal urged the court to recall its order by which Tihar authorities were directed to produce Chidambaram before it.

Chidambaram is in judicial custody till 17 October in the INX Media corruption case filed by the CBI.

Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi and Rajnath Singh to hold rallies in poll-bound Haryana, Maharashtra

Ahead of the 21 October Haryana Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to hold rallies at Charkhi Daryi on Tuesday. He will also address a public theme part at Kurukshetra at 12 pm.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is to hold multiple public meetings in Maharashtra's Yavatmal, Wardha districts ahead of the state's upcoming Assembly polls. Defence minister Rajnath Singh will also hold multiple roadshows in Mumbai at Goregoan, Mira Bhayander and Charkop constituencies to garner votes from voters for the BJP in the upcoming elections.

Delhi High Court to hear DK Shivakumar's bail plea in money-laundering case

The Delhi High Court listed Karnataka Congress leader D K Shivakumar's bail plea in a money-laundering case for today.

Shivakumar, arrested in a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED, has approached the high court challenging the trial court's order denying him bail.

The high court had earlier issued a notice to the probe agency, asking it to file a status report. In the high court, Shivakumar cited medical reason as one of the grounds for securing bail.

The Congress leader has said in the plea that he is a seven-time MLA and not a flight risk. He has also contended that it is a case based on documentary evidence and there is no ground to keep him in custody as he has no criminal antecedents.

Denying him bail, the trial court had said Shivakumar was an influential person and if released at a crucial stage of the investigation, might influence witnesses or tamper with documents.

The trial court had perused the Congress leader's medical report and noted that although he had undergone angiography, his condition was stable and he was advised medication.

Railways to launch 10 'Sewa Service' trains from Delhi, Coimbatore, Salem today in bid to improve last-mile connectivity

In a bid to improve last-mile connectivity for those travelling from small towns and villages to major cities, the railways will launch 10 "Sewa Service" trains on Tuesday.

Of these, daily trains will be introduced between Delhi and Shamli, Bhubaneswar and Nayagarh town, Murkongselex and Dibrugarh, Kota and Jhalawar city and Coimbatore and Palani.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal will launch the "Sewa Service" trains by flagging off the Delhi-Shamli daily passenger train from the New Delhi railway station on Tuesday.

The other "Sewa Service" trains will run from Vadnagar to Mahesana, Asarya to Himmatnagar, Karur to Salem, Yesvantpur to Tumkur and Coimbatore to Pollachi. These will run six days a week.

Tamil Nadu will be the biggest beneficiary in the first set of launches. Of the 10 trains to be flagged off, three are in Tamil Nadu and under the Southern Railway's jurisdiction.

Buoyant India aim for first win in World Cup 2022 qualifying campaign

Igor Stimac's India are yet to win a single match in the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers, but there has been much for Indian fans to be excited about. In their first game, the Indian side lost to Oman 1-2 despite being ahead for most of the match, thanks to a brace from Al Mandhar Al Alawi in the dying embers of the contest. Their second match saw them put in a gritty performance to hold Asian champions Qatar to a goalless draw in Doha. India will next face Bangladesh in Kolkata on Tuesday, where they are expected to pick up their first win of the campaign.

Apple's Safari browser reportedly sending browsing data to China's Tencent

To protect users against phishing scams, Apple's Safari web browser has been using its Fraudulent Website Warning feature to send data to Google Safe Browsing. In iOS 13, users have noticed in the US disclaimer that some of the data is being sent to Tencent Safe Browsing along with Google. It isn't clear whether Tencent is collecting information from non-China Apple users.

Web series based on 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in works at ZEE5

ZEE5 is developing a web series based on Sandeep Unnithan's book Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11, on the 2008 terror attacks in the city. Titled Operation Terror: Black Tornado, the eight-episode series is produced and created by Abhimanyu Singh of Contiloe Pictures and, co-created and directed by Matthew Leutwyler.