Companies To Face Action If Staff Offer Namaz In Parks, Say Noida Police
NOIDA: Public spaces such as parks can't be used for religious activities, the Noida police have declared and told multinational companies in Sector-58 to direct their employees not to offer Friday prayers in a community park. The notice also warns the companies that they will be held liable for any violation by their employees.
The companies, which have sought a meeting with senior police officers for clarification, also plan to approach the court against the order, sources told NDTV.
After the notice created a furore in Noida's industrial hub, the police went into damage-control mode and said that the notice isn't religion-specific.
Sources have told NDTV that a few Hindu groups had complained to the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Noida claiming that offering namaz in the open "disrupts harmony" in the area. After that 58 police stations were instructed to notify these companies. Last week, at least 12 MNCs, including HCL, got the notice that specifically said "nobody is allowed offer Friday prayers in the park".
"It has been observed that some Muslim employees of your company go to Sector-58 park to offer namaz on Fridays. Please tell them not to do so. And if they still go to the park to offer prayers, then the companies will be held responsible for the violation," the order said.
However, Ajay Pal, SSP Noida, said the notice doesn't target any particular religion.
"Some people had sought permission to offer prayers in a park in Sector-58, but they weren't allowed by the city magistrate. And still a lot of people gathered there. The notice aims to discourage all sorts of religious gatherings," Mr Pal said.
Mualana Nauman, who has been offering namaz in Sector-58 park for the last five years, told NDTV that on December 14, the police told him and others not to offer namaz in Sector-58 park. But Nauman and his friend were arrested four days later even though they had followed the direction, he said.
"My friend Adil Rasheed and I were arrested on December 18 for disrupting peace and harmony, the police told us. We got bail on December 22," he said.
Earlier this year, right-wing organisations had disrupted namaz at several places in Gurgaon. The activists alleged that some people were trying to grab land in a bid to merge it with a mosque.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also said it wasn't right to pray in open spaces. But clarified he wasn't trying to stop anyone from offering prayers.
"If there is shortage of places for offering namaz, it should be done in personal spaces, inside homes," Mr Khattar added.
courtesy: ndtv.com
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Lok Sabha refers Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill to JPC
New Delhi (PTI): The Lok Sabha on Monday referred the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to a joint parliamentary committee comprising members from both Houses of Parliament for a detailed analysis and recommendations.
The decision was taken following a voice vote after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman suggested it.
Earlier, after the Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha, opposition members Manish Tewari (Congress), Saugata Roy (Trinamool Congress) and T Sumathy (DMK) strongly opposed it, alleging that the legislation sought to dilute the provisions of law under which companies mandatorily have to pay 2 per cent of their profits towards corporate social responsibility (CSR).
The finance minister strongly refuted the allegations and said that the Bill has been introduced after two years of deliberations.
She said the apprehensions of the members were unfounded as the Bill seeks to amend only the criteria of net profits, not the entire clause related to CSR.
Sitharaman then suggested to Speaker Om Birla that the Bill be sent to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) for extensive deliberations and proper suggestions.
At this, Tewari said that since a parliamentary standing committee on corporate affairs is already in place, the Bill should be sent to that panel rather than constituting a new JPC.
Intervening the Congress MP, Home Minister Amit Shah said that none of the opposition members talked about referring the legislation to a parliamentary committee, and now, when the finance minister herself has sought it, they were arguing as to which panel the Bill should be sent.
Speaker Birla then put the proposal of the finance minister to a vote, and it was approved with a voice vote by the House, sending the Bill to a JPC for which the members will be selected later.
The Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aims to amend the Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) Act, 2008, and the Companies Act to facilitate ease of doing business and address the gaps identified by the Company Law Committee in its 2022 report.
The Union Cabinet had already okayed the proposed Bill, aimed at further easing the compliance burden on businesses and advancing the government’s agenda of decriminalising minor corporate offences.
The proposed amendments are expected to rationalise penalties, shift several minor procedural lapses from criminal liability to monetary penalties, and streamline regulatory processes to promote ease of doing business.
The reforms are also aimed at improving the overall corporate compliance framework while reducing litigation and encouraging a more facilitative regulatory environment for companies and LLPs.
Sitharaman also said the Bill is aimed at promoting further ease of doing business and ease of living for corporates by decriminalising more provisions and amending certain other provisions.
It is aimed at providing ease of compliance for ‘one person companies’, small companies, startups and producer companies, the minister said in the Bill's statement of objects and reasons.
According to Sitharaman, the amendments also seek to streamline the existing regulatory practices to strengthen as well as recognise new concepts in light of the rapidly evolving corporate landscape and changing business practices.
