The Supreme Court today banned the production, sale and use of controversial pesticide Endosulfan in the country for the next eight weeks, holding that human life is more important than anything else. Keeping in mind various judgements of this court under Article 21 (right to life and liberty) of the Constitution and particularly keeping in mind the precautionary principle we, hereby, direct and pass ad-interim order for immediate ban on production and use of Endosulfan all over India, a bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia said.
Those interested in making presentation to the Committee or submitting their views in person are welcome. Necessary date & time for an interactive session will be announced on our website. Individual e-mails can be sent by those interested to attend the session by conveying so at vkgupta99@nic.in or lb.singhal@nic.in.
The Intellectual Property regime in India underwent significant changes after India’s accession to WTO in 1995. After an intense national debate a number of safeguards were included in amendments to the Patents Act made in 1995, 2002 and 2005. These safeguards were designed to prevent evergreening of patents and included a higher threshold for inventive step and a prohibition from patenting new forms of known substances which do not result in the enhancement of the know efficacy of these substances. We have also opposed the provision of data exclusivity and patent linkage. Such a stance has been consistent with our obligations under TRIPS and seeks to meet our developmental objectives specially relating to ensuring the availability and affordability of essential medicines. When concern was raised by various quarters about the Indian stand in various Free Trade Agreements, especially in the context of the Indian Pharma products, the Prime Minister firmly directed that the Indian side shall not take on any obligation beyond TRIPS/ Domestic Law. This stand, that we shall not exceed TRIPS/Domestic law in respect of Patents, has now been decisively ingrained in our IPR policy.
CIRCULAR NO. DNPD/4/2011, DATED 13-5-2011 – With regard to the newly created category of self-clearing member, in the currency derivatives segment of a Stock Exchange, communicated vide Notification No. LAD NRO/GN/2011-12/01/11486, dated April 6, 2011, it is clarified that such self-clearing member shall have a minimum net worth of Rs. 5 crore.
Notification No. 26/2011 – Income Tax Whereas, an Agreement between the Government of Republic of India and the Government of the Isle of Man for the Exchange of Information with respect to taxes was signed at London on the 4th day of February, 2011; And whereas, the date of entry into force of the said Agreement is the 17th day of March, 2011, being the date of later of the notifications of completion of the procedures as required by the respective laws for entry into force of the said Agreement, in accordance with paragraph 2 of article 13 of the said Agreement;
Notification No. 25/2011 – Income Tax Whereas, an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas for the Exchange of Information with respect to taxes was signed at Nassau, Bahamas on the 11th day of February, 2011 (hereinafter referred to as the said Agreement);
Subsequent to the issuance of the aforesaid circular, SEBI has received representations from market participants expressing difficulties in implementation of the requirements pertaining to renewal of Running Account Authorisation once in a year as prescribed in clause 12(a) read with clause 12(c) of the Annexure to the aforesaid circular.
Tariff Value of Edible Oils, Brass Scrap and Poppy Seeds Notified- Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), Department of Revenue has issued a Notification No.34/2011-Customs (N.T.) dated May 13, 2011 and thereby notifying tariff values of edible oils, brass scrap (all grades) and Poppy seeds as shown in the table below.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team has raided the premises of a local trader who has allegedly committed Rs 1.75 crore bank loan fraud. No arrest has been made so far in the raid conducted yesterday, CBI sources said, adding investigation was still on.The accused, Balwinder Singh, had taken loan from Punjab National Bank for setting up a cement factory at Mehmewala village here but failed to return the amount, a bank official said.
The CBI today raided the residence of former Jharkhand health minister Bhanu Pratap Sahi in Garhwa and arrested a retired IAS officer in Ranchi in connection with a medicine scam, which surfaced in 2009. Siyaram Prasad Sinha, who was the health secretary when Sahi was the department minister, was produced before a special CBI court of N N Singh, which sent him to 14 days judicial custody.
