Parl panel to take up WhatsApp snooping case

A parliamentary standing committee headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is likely to take up the WhatsApp snooping case in its next meeting on November 20. Tharoor, who heads the parliamentary standing committee on information technology, said in a letter to his panel members that the alleged use of technology for snooping on Indian citizens was a matter of “grave concern” and it would be discussed at the committee’s next meeting. Facebook-owned WhatsApp on October 31 said Indian journalists and activists were among those globally spied upon by unnamed entities using an Israeli spyware Pegasus. Besides the panel on IT, the panel on home affairs will also take up this issue of snooping in its next meeting. Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has asked WhatsApp for a report on the allegations.

Services sector activity declines in October

India’s services sector activity declined for the second straight month in October and business confidence was impacted amid concerns that challenging economic conditions might linger, says a report. The IHS Markit India Services Business Activity Index stood at 49.2 in October and a reading below 50 indicates contraction. “Indian services sector activity declined for the second straight month in October, the first back-to-back reduction since the second quarter of fiscal year 2017-18,” the report said. “New business stabilised, following contraction in September, while job creation moderated. At the same time, concerns that challenging economic conditions will linger dragged business confidence to its lowest level in close to three years,” it added.

India gained $755 mn due to trade war

India gained about $755 million in additional exports, mainly of chemicals, metals and ore, to the US in the first half of 2019 due to the trade diversion effects of Washington’s tariff war with China, a study by the UN trade and investment body has said. The study shows that the ongoing US-China trade war has resulted in a sharp decline in bilateral trade, higher prices for consumers and trade diversion effects - increased imports from countries not directly involved in the trade war. The study puts the trade diversion effects of the US-China tariff war for the first half of 2019 at about $21 billion, implying that the amount of net trade losses corresponds to about $14 billion. The US tariffs on China have made other players more competitive and led to a trade diversion effect - resulting in big benefits for Taiwan, Mexico and the EU.

Gujarat anti-terror law gets President’s nod

President Ram Nath Kovind has given his assent to the Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GCTOC) Bill, an anti-terror legislation passed by the state in March 2015. One of the key features of the legislation is intercepted telephonic conversations would now be considered as a legitimate evidence. The Bill, earlier named as the Gujarat Control of Organised Crime (GUJCOC) Bill, had failed to get the presidential nod thrice since 2004 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the chief minister of the state. In 2015, the Gujarat government reintroduced the Bill by renaming it as the GCTOC, but retained the controversial provisions like empowering the police to tap telephonic conversations and submit them in court as evidence. The provisions of the Bill will prove crucial in dealing with terrorism and organised crimes.

Indian firms affected by H-1B visa denial

The Trump administration’s restrictive immigration policies have led to massive increase in the rejection of petitions for H-1B visas with the highest denial rate among Indian IT companies, according to a study by an American think tank. The study by the National Foundation for American Policy, based on data received from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, showed that denial rates for H-1B petitions, popular among Indian IT professionals, have increased from just 6 per cent in 2015 to 24 per cent in the third quarter of the current fiscal. The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. Tech firms depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries such as India and China.

FM promises next wave of reforms soon

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will soon use its strong electoral mandate to usher in the next wave of reforms, and not to miss the bus this time. Without naming the reform measures unsuccessfully attempted by the NDA government in its first term, and in an apparent hint at land acquisition reform attempts, she said the government’s efforts last time were thwarted by poor numbers in the Rajya Sabha. It can be noted that many analysts have been calling for urgent reforms in the factor markets, especially regarding land and labour, to get the economy out of the trough, citing the strong mandate the government enjoys. “I’m sure we will now show the commitment for reforms happens fast. That is where the mandate given to Modi 2.0 government will help,” she said.

Joint sitting to mark 70 years of Constitution

To mark 70 years of the adoption of the Indian Constitution, a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament will be held on November 26 and is likely to be addressed by President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Besides MPs, former presidents and prime ministers too are expected to attend the event, which will be held in the Central Hall of Parliament. The function will be similar to the midnight session held in June 2017 to launch the new indirect tax regime GST. A similar function was also held in 1997, when Parliament celebrated 50 years of Independence by holding a special midnight sitting of the two Houses. The Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on November 26, 1949, and became effective from January 26, 1950. It became the country’s fundamental governing document.

Newsmaker

Former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajendra Menon has been appointed the chairperson of the Armed Forces Tribunal. The tribunal has the power for adjudication or trial of disputes and complaints with respect to commission, appointments, enrolments and conditions of service in respect of persons subject to the Army Act, 1950, The Navy Act, 1957, and the Air Force Act, 1950.

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