Geospatial Bill needs to be rewritten from scratch

Map licence raj?

Business Standard

A deep-prajwalan ceremony (auspicious lamp-lighting ceremony at the beginning of an event) is generally a boring, albeit unavoidable, ritual at the start of most government functions. On Monday, that changed a bit at an event organised by the road ministry. When Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari got up to light the ceremonial lamps, instead of the de rigueur Indian music, an instrumental version of the 1965 Beatles song "Norwegian Wood" began playing in the background. Those who recognised the song made little effort to hide their amusement.

Different tune

At a recent hearing on the matter of the National Eligibility Entrance Test, popularly known as NEET, counsels of various states and parties stood up and started making their arguments. As it became increasingly difficult to follow the different trains of reasoning, judge Anil Dave intervened. He started telling a story of Hyder Ali, founder of the Mysore kingdom and father of Tipu Sultan. Ali, he told his audience, had the ability to hear and fathom what was being said even when 40 people spoke at the same time. "None of us are like him," Dave said, bringing some laughter and then some order to the proceedings.

Ali's ability

Hindi movie stars are often roped in by corporates as brand ambassadors for their products or services. Now a travel portal has found a novel way to promote itself. In a prepared note, Bigbreaks.com, a Delhi-based company, claimed that newly-married people planning their honeymoon have whipped themselves into a "frenzy" after actor Bipasha Basu posted her "first honeymoon pictures" from the "sun-kissed beaches of the beautiful island nation" - Maldives - on her social media page. It claimed to have seen a significant rise in inquiries for Maldives. One doesn't know if Basu is planning to claim some sort of a fee for that "endorsement".

'Unaware' ambassador

With reference to Debashis Basu's "Bankruptcy law: state - 1; market - 0" (May 16), there has been no dearth of laws in this country. The big question is about their implementation. First, while the bankruptcy law has been passed with praiseworthy speed, its implementation may take another 12 months. By that time our clever promoters would have either put up sufficient barriers or zeroed in on primary and collateral securities leaving a heap of grass to lenders.Second, it is not very clear how this law will cover various cases of default before the courts of law including debt recovery tribunals. It is not that easy to bring all these cases under the ambit of the new legislation. Third, why the government has prioritised workers' dues in the settlement process? Workers' dues will pose several issues of interpretation. Fourth, in many cases the assets left with the lenders in bankruptcy proceedings would form a minuscule part of the total dues. Lenders will be baffled when they stare at

Letters: No joy for lenders

With reference to "And the winner is…. The Election Commission" by Aditi Phadnis (May 16), former Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan proved that a person can make a chair powerful. His endeavour to present a full-proof election process was criticised by many. Jyoti Basu, then chief minister of West Bengal, called him a lunatic. In fact, few could imagine that it would be possible for a country with a population of over one billion to prepare voter identity cards. But, Seshan proved his critics wrong.Though a large number of voters turn up in booths to exercise their franchise, there are drawbacks still to be addressed. Introduction of EVM, CCTVs in disturbed booths and distribution of voter slips by the panel are all fine. But much success has eluded in terms of confidence-building measures for voters. Many voters are intercepted by hooligans of political parties so that they cannot reach the booths. Even the administration, the police and the state election commission concerned

Letters: Reassure voters

Arun Jaitley has said that "step by step, brick by brick, the edifice of India's legislature is being destroyed". Is this the real situation? Some years ago, the Supreme Court rightly pointed out that it is not the job of courts to make law. It is for the legislature to frame laws. The courts have to strictly interpret legal provisions. Judiciary and legislative functions are separate.It is another matter that nowadays laws are made to please voters and not in public interest. The Supreme Court has already said that it is for the people to change the persons at the political helm through elections. Also, it is most unfortunate that wherever the government fails to fulfil its undesired and illogical decisions (orders), it changes laws and foists them on the public in the name of national interest. Such amendments to the Constitution or other necessary laws just to implement government will leads to dictatorship.Mahesh Kumar   New DelhiLetters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:The Edit

Letters: Judiciary vs legislature

Bihar's marathon electoral exercise

Bihar is right now going through a marathon electoral exercise - that of panchayat elections

Click on graphic

Recent economic data have revived concern about India's inflation and growth

StatsGuru: Decoding the economic numbers

Business Standard analyses one family's finances and suggests a way forward

Case study

Taxation: Kuldip Kumar

Kuldip Kumar, partner and leader, personal tax, PwC India, answers your questionsIf I claimed tax benefit on my leave travel allowance (LTA) last year, can I do so this year as well? Section 10(5) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 read with Rule 2B of the Income Tax Rules, 1962 provides an exemption in respect of an allowance or assistance received by an individual from his current employer or former employer for himself and family in connection with proceeding on leave to any place in India. An employee can claim the exemption in respect of any two journeys in a block of four calendar years. The current block is 2014 to 2017. Where an employee has not availed the exemption in respect of LTA in a particular block, then such employee can avail the exemption of one journey in the following calendar year falling in the next block. If you have not claimed LTA in 2014 or if you have not carried forward LTA exemption claim from the previous Block (2010-2013), you can claim the LTA exemption this y

Children as brand influencers

Children are more than consumers today; they influence parents' purchases, according to Turner's New Generations 2016 study that surveyed about 6,000 kids in India

Govt accomplishes much in two years, but more remains

Work in progress

Water harvesting needs attention, not just irrigation

A drought solution

With reference to Shankar Acharya's article, "A tiger cub in the neighbourhood" (May 12), on importance of agriculture in Myanmar's economic growth, India can learn important lessons from that country

Letters: Lessons from Myanmar

The assessment made by T N Ninan in his article, "Mr Modi's ministers" (May 14) regarding Finance Minister Arun Jailey's performance is unfair.

Letters: Jaitley not to blame

During the same visit to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar caused some flutter at the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) headquarters

A new configuration

During a visit last week to PM Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar said he was more concerned about Ganga than central govt was

Nitish's concern for the Ganga

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rajasthan unit of the Congress are at war in the state over Jawaharlal Nehru

Row over Nehru in textbooks

In a recent TV interview, Himanta Biswa Sarma, who crossed over from the Congress - where he was once former chief minister Tarun Gogoi's right-hand man - to the Bharatiya Janata Party explained why he did so. He had no problems with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, whom he described as a woman with dignity and grace. It was with party Vice-President Rahul Gandhi that he had difficulties, Sarma said. Why? Rahul Gandhi had a short attention span, said Sarma. He added that whenever he  met Rahul Gandhi the latter would either be playing with his cell phone or with his dog - who would then jump on to the table and eat up all the biscuits, unchecked by its owner.

Quit Congress because of Rahul's short attention span, says Sarma

The significance of US president's Japan visit

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