The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman-led GST Council has taken a significant step towards combating fake invoicing by approving biometric-based Aadhaar authentication. During the 53rd GST Council Meeting, Sitharaman announced the nationwide rollout of this system, emphasizing its role in curbing fraudulent input tax credit claims stemming from fake invoices. The meeting also saw discussions regarding the inclusion of petrol and diesel under GST, with Sitharaman stating the central government’s clear intent to broaden the scope of GST. However, the decision rests with the states, requiring their consensus. In other key decisions, the GST Council recommended a ₹ 20 lakh limit for filing appeals by tax authorities before the Appellate Tribunal, ₹ 1 crore for the High Court, and ₹ 2 crore for the Supreme Court. Furthermore, a uniform rate of 12% was recommended for all milk cans. Sitharaman also informed the council that services provided by Indian Railways, such as platform tickets, will be exempt from GST. Meanwhile, the row over the appointment of the new Speaker Protem continues, with Opposition sources suggesting that Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay might not join the panel of chairpersons to assist Speaker Protem Bhartruhari Mahtab in administering the oath to the newly elected Lok Sabha members. Paytm has come under scrutiny following allegations from former employees regarding unlawful termination of employment without severance pay. These employees have filed complaints with the Ministry of Labour and Employment, demanding a fair termination process. In a separate development, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued weather warnings for heavy to very heavy rainfall in Kerala, parts of Karnataka, Goa, and Maharashtra over the next few days. A red alert has been issued for Kerala, Konkan, Goa, Coastal Karnataka, and South Interior Karnataka, while an orange alert has been issued for Madhya Maharashtra and Andaman & Nicobar. Finally, the Ministry of Education has formed a seven-member expert committee to ensure transparency, fairness, and smooth conduct of examinations. This move comes in response to the controversy surrounding alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2024 exam.
