Maharashtra polling at 55 percent
Mumbai: Polling for the 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra came to an end with the polling percentage estimated to be around 55.

Barring a few minor incidents of violence in the naxalite-affected Gadchiroli district, polling passed off peacefully. In the Konkan region and in Pune, clashes were reported. In Mumbai, over 200 people were affected by food poisoning in the Nagpada area of central Mumbai when they consumed sweets distributed near the booths.

In Mumbai, where each of the 34 Assembly seats is being fiercely contested, the response was not so good with only 38.18 per cent of the voters turning up while in the suburbs, the turnout was even lower at 37 per cent.

Police parties were fired upon by naxalites in Binagoonda and Koindur villages in Bhamragad taluk of Gadchiroli district. One constable of the State Reserve Police was injured in the first incident and a jawan of the Central Reserve Police Force was injured in the second. These did not affect polling.
Back to News Review index page  
Maharashtra: Exit polls predict hung assembly
Mumbai: An NDTV-Indian Express Exit Poll has predicted a fractured verdict in Maharashtra.

The BJP-Shiv Sena is marginally ahead in the 288-member assembly with 125 to 138 seats. The Congress-NCP alliance is expected to bag 120 to 130 seats.

The exit poll results suggest that this could be yet another election where the real hard bargaining begins after the poll date.
Back to News Review index page  
Fuel price hike from Oct.15
New Delhi: The Petroleum Ministry has decided to hike fuel prices from October 15. Diesel prices in the country are likely to go up by Rs1.60 from midnight October 15, while petrol prices are likely to go up by 63 paise per litre.

The last time prices were increased was two months ago when a Price Band was cleared by the Cabinet which gave oil companies partial freedom to revise prices. But political compulsions forced the government to keep a check on the oil companies till now.

The Arab Gulf Diesel, the benchmark for Indian retail prices has touched a high of US$ 53 a barrel this week, while Singapore petrol, the other benchmark for domestic retail prices has crossed US$ 54 this week - the highest in 20 years.
Back to News Review index page  

Anupam Kher replaced - Sharmila Tagore takes over
New Delhi: The Government has appointed Sharmila Tagore, as Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) after failing to secure the resignation of the Chairman, Anupam Kher,

With Kher "refusing to step down'', the Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, ensured that it took a "charge report'' from Ms. Tagore whereby she has acknowledged taking charge of the "post of Chairperson, CBFC." She has been appointed in an ``honorary capacity'' for a period of three years "or until further orders" from the day of taking charge.
Back to News Review index page  
Fast track disposal of service tax cases
New Delhi: The Finance Ministry has launched a scheme for speedy disposal of all pending technical offence cases of service tax and will organise fast track disposal camps for service tax adjudications.

An official release said that any person, to whom a show cause notice for imposition of penalties for contravention of any of the provisions of Chapter V of Finance Act 1994 or rules made there-under has been issued, can avail the opportunity by representing his/her case before the adjudicating authority during the camp.

The adjudicating authority will dispose of the cases on the spot, the release said. It also said that the jurisdictional chief commissioners would specify the dates and places where such fast track disposal camps would be held up to November 30.
Back to News Review index page  
Indirect tax collections up 25 per cent in September
New Delhi: The Central Government's indirect tax collections increased by 12.23 per cent during the first-half of the current fiscal at Rs74,510.45 crore, compared with Rs66,391.59 crore achieved in the same period last year.

The collection performance so far represented 41.95 per cent of the Budget estimate of Rs1,77,599 crore for indirect taxes for the year 2004-05.

While customs duty collection for the period under review increased by 8.84 per cent to Rs25,216.91 crore (Rs23,167.96 crore), excise duty collections increased by 10.11 per cent to Rs44,494.14 crore (Rs40,409.15 crore).

Service tax collections in the first half of the current fiscal surged 70.5 per cent to Rs4,799 crore, against Rs2,814 crore during the same period last year.

The Budget estimate for customs duty for 2004-05 has been pegged at Rs54,250 crore. In the case of excise duty, the Budget estimate for 2004-05 has been pegged at Rs1,09,199 crore. For service tax, the Budget estimate for 2004-05 has been fixed at Rs14,150 crore.

Indirect tax collections during September stood at Rs15,132.65 crore, which represents a 25.06 per cent increase over Rs12,100.01 crore achieved in the same month last year.
Back to News Review index page