Jaya complains of tax notices on Abhi-Ash wedding

Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan on Saturday alleged that the service tax authorities humiliated her family seeking details of expenses...

Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan on Saturday alleged that the service tax authorities humiliated her family seeking details of expenses incurred during the wedding of her son Abhishek Bachchan with Aishwarya Rai earlier this year. “I received notices from tax authorities who wanted to know how much amount was spent on beauty parlour and flower decorations,” the SP member told the House. Taking part in a debate on a Bill seeking Parliamentary approval for supplementary demands for grants, she complained that in the name of service tax, people were being harassed over expenses incurred on their children’s weddings. The actress-cum-politician said since she was herself humiliated, she could empathise with others who may have faced harassment at the hands of tax authorities. Several members, including JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and Brij Bhushan Tiwari (SP), supported Bachchan saying the Government was following a “pick and choose” policy for ensuring tax compliance.

Rajya Sabha to debate nuclear deal on December 4

A discussion on the Indo-US nuclear deal will take place in the Rajya Sabha on December 4 instead of a day earlier. The discussion has been deferred by a day as External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is abroad. Though the AIADMK has given a notice for a discussion under a rule that entails voting, the deliberation is likely to be of a short duration like the one in the Lower House. Incidentally, a number of senior leaders who have had strong views on the accord, including Brinda Karat and Sitaram Yechury of CPI(M), Arun Shourie and Yashwant Sinha of BJP, are members of the Upper House.

LS clears Bill to provide armed forces status to SSB

The Lok Sabha on Saturday cleared the Sashastra Seema Bal Bill. The Bill seeks to provide armed force status to the Sashastra Seema Bal and give it a statutory backing enabling it to strengthen policing along the borders of Nepal and Bhutan. The Bill has already been cleared by the Rajya Sabha. Replying to the debate in the House, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said that there cannot be a single command centre for the special forces patrolling the international borders, which apart from SSB include the ITBP and BSF. He outlined that these forces operate on borders of different countries and thereby encounter different situations. He added that this Bill would help expand the size and responsibility of the SSB.