1. Few Cong MLAs 'Unhappy' with Patel's RS Ticket: MLA to Guj HC
Certain Gujarat Congress MLAs were "unhappy" with party leader Ahmed Patel being reconsidered for a Rajya Sabha seat in 2017, BJP MLA Dharmendrasinh Jadeja told the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday 5 March.
Jadeja was formerly with the Congress and was among the Congress MLAs who did not cast their preferential vote for Patel in the August 2017 Rajya Sabha election in the state.
He told a bench of Justice Bela Trivedi that certain Congress MLAs wanted the party to give a chance to a new face and were unhappy with Patel being re-considered for the post.
Jadeja is a witness in an ongoing trial in an election petition filed by BJP leader Balvantsinh Rajput challenging Patel's election to the Upper House of Parliament from Gujarat in 2017.
(Source: PTI)
2. Four Days After Being Convicted in Illegal Mining Case, Gujarat Congress MLA Disqualified
Four days after he was convicted in a 1995 case of illegal limestone mining, Gujarat Congress MLA from Talala Bhaga Barad was disqualified as a member of the Legislative Assembly by Speaker Rajendra Trivedi on Tuesday, 5 March. This is for the first time that an MLA of the state has been disqualified after being convicted.
“As per the Supreme Court judgment of July 2013, Congress MLA from Talala, Bhaga Barad has been declared disqualified as a member of the Assembly subsequent to his conviction by a trial court in Sutrapada in Gir Somnath district on March 1,” a notification read.
(Source: Indian Express)
3. Parents of Global Indian International School Protest Over FRC Order Violation
Parents of Global Indian International School (GIIS) on Tuesday staged a protest outside the school located at Gota, Ahmedabad for violating the order of the Fee Regulatory Committee (FRC). While the FRC had fixed Rs 50,000 as school fees, the school charged Rs 70,000 from the parents for the year 2017-18 and 2018-19. Those who followed the FRC order and paid accordingly have been suspended for non-payment of fees, alleged a parent requesting anonymity.
"While the FRC order says that the schools cannot charge beyond the amount fixed by the FRC, the school has been pressurizing us for extra fees," said a protesting parent.
Denying the allegations, a spokesperson from the school said, "GIIS has followed the due process for fixing of school fees and is in full compliance of the guidelines, directed by the Supreme Court order dated February 1, 2018."
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
4. Two Lion Cubs Found Dead in Gir Forest
Two lion cubs were found dead ion Tuesday, 5 March in Visavadar range of Gujarat's Gir forest, a senior official said.
Preliminary probe has revealed the two cubs, around five months old, may have been killed by a male lion in a territorial fight to establish dominance, said D T Vasavada, Chief Conservator of Forests, Junagadh Wildlife Circle.
Earlier last month, two lions, a lioness and a cub were found dead in and around the Gir forest, the only abode of Asiatic lions. As per the last census conducted in 2015, it is home to 523 lions, though a recent government announcement put the number at 600.
(Source: Times of India)
5. Refund, Registration Issues Dominate GST Open House
There are no orders to stop refunds under Goods and Services Tax (GST), officials of Central GST (CGST) and State GST (SGST) said on Tuesday, 5 March at an Open House with tax professionals organised by Tax Advocates Association of Gujarat (TAAG). Tax practitioners raised issues of the late issue of refunds, registration and those with GST Network (GSTN) during the interaction.
“There are no orders to stop refunds (as the financial year is coming to an end). We are disposing requests of refunds at the earliest. We will take no more than a week to clear the refunds,” Ajay Jain, chief commissioner of CGST in Gujarat.
Officials replied to the volley of complaints by tax practitioners saying that certain officials have told them that as the financial year is coming to an end, there are work pressures and so the activity of issuing refunds has been derailed.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
6. Revenue Staff Warns Gujarat Government of Strike Ahead of Lok Sabha Polls
Even as the Election Commission is expected to announce the schedule of Lok Sabha elections any time now, class III revenue staff of Gujarat government has warned to call on a strike. The revenue staff cadres including Talati (patwari), clerk and deputy Mamlatdar (tehsildar) have raised their arms against the government on their long pending demands.
The Gujarat Rajya Mehsuli Karmachari Mahamandal, an association of the revenue staff in Gujarat wrote a letter addressing the chief minister on Tuesday. They informed the CM about their mass leave on March 8 and indefinite strike from March 11 onwards.
The revenue staff is engaged in all poll-related processes including preparing and maintaining voters' roll, polling, supervision and counting and others. If the staff goes on strike when polls announcement is in offing, it could badly affect the process in the state.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
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