Madras high court stays income tax dept order imposing penalty on actor Vijay
Chennai, Aug 16: The Madras High Court on Tuesday provided temporary relief to top actor Vijay, by staying the orders of the Income Tax department imposing a penalty of Rs 1.5 crore on him for not voluntarily disclosing Rs 15 crore in his IT returns for 2016-17.
Justice Anita Sumanth granted the stay today while admitting a petition from Vijay, challenging the penalty imposed by the department, based on raids conducted at his residence in 2020.
Conceding the contention of Vijay that the punitive action was time barred, the judge granted the interim injunction.
In his petition, Vijay sought to quash the order of the IT department pertaining to the assessment year 2016-17. He said that the notice dated December 11, 2018 demanding the fine amount for 2016-17 was time barred and hence it is invalid.
The IT department had failed to appreciate the fact that having completed the assessment on December 30, 2017, the penalty proceedings u/s 271AAB of the IT Act for the surrendered income/ undisputed income should be initiated and completed on or before June 30, 2018.
Any show-cause notice issued beyond that date should be considered as nullity in law, he claimed.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
