Karnataka Assembly passes Professional Tax Amendment bill
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Karnataka Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings and Employments (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aimed at simplifying compliance and reducing procedural burden on taxpayers.
Explaining the provisions, state Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said in the assembly that the amendment seeks to remove the requirement of filing returns after payment of professional tax, while retaining the existing flat rate structure.
“Once they pay Rs 2,500, there is no need to file returns again. It is a flat rate—Rs 2,500,” he said.
The Minister noted that professional tax is constitutionally mandated, with a ceiling of Rs 2,500 annually for individuals earning above Rs 25,000.
“Regardless of their income, the amount to be paid is only Rs 2,500,” he said.
He pointed out that despite paying the fixed amount, taxpayers were earlier required to file returns, leading to avoidable compliance burden. “For that, a chartered accountant has to prepare it. Our staff have to verify it. This results in wastage of time and creates an unnecessary compliance burden on people,” he said.
Gowda said the amendment aligns legal provisions with technological changes already introduced.
“Once Rs 2,500 is paid, there will be no further need to file returns. We are making provisions for this in the law as well,” he said.
He further said exemptions have been extended not only from tax payment but also from filing returns for certain categories.
“Senior citizens, those serving in the armed forces, and persons with disabilities. Now we are also removing the requirement of filing returns for them,” he said.
Highlighting the objective, the Minister said the move would improve governance and public convenience. “This will lead to ease of governance, ease of compliance, reduce unnecessary burden on people, and cut down unnecessary paperwork,” he said.
“With this simplification, it will be beneficial to the public. With this objective, we have brought this amendment,” he added.
Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, R Ashoka, welcomed the bill.
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TN court holds 9 policemen guilty in case of custodial torture leading to deaths of father-son
Madurai (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): A local court on Monday held guilty all the nine accused policemen in the case of custodial torture of a man and his son, leading to their deaths at Sathankulam in Thoothukudi district in the year 2020.
The First Additional District and Sessions Court Judge G Muthukumaran declared that the prosecution had proven its case and held the policemen guilty of causing the death of the father-son. The quantum of sentence for the convicted policemen will be pronounced on March 30, the judge said.
On June 19, 2020, mobile phone shop owner P Jayaraj (59) and his son J Benicks (31) were taken to Sathankulam police station in connection with an alleged violation of norms to prevent the spread of a coronavirus pandemic. The father and son died on June 23 at Kovilpatti subjail following alleged brutal custodial torture at the police station.
The case, which includes the charge of murder, against 10 policemen, including Inspector S Sridhar, Sub inspectors K Balakrishnan, P Raghuganesh, Head Constables, S Murugan and A Samidurai, was initially probed by the CB-CID and it was later taken over by the CBI. The incident had caused a major public outrage in the state then.
There were 105 witnesses, including Selvarani (wife of Jeyaraj) then Sathankulam police woman head constable R Revathi in the case. As many as 116 documents were marked, which included the judicial inquiry reports on the deaths of Jayaraj and Benicks.
One of the accused, Special SI, A Pauldurai, died during the pendency of the case and 9 others, including Sridhar, continued to be in Madurai Central Prison.
The CBI initially filed a chargesheet and later a supplementary report which together was nearly 2,500 pages. Attempts of the accused to secure bail proved futile during the nearly 6-year-old trial of the case.
Daughter of deceased Jeyaraj, Persis, told reporters that the court has, in the judgment, said that her father and brother died due to the injuries inflicted on them by the 10 policemen.
Quoting the judgment, she said the policemen had beaten up her father and brother "all through the night and till early morning."
Asked on the judgment citing policemen's claim to "get trained by beating the father-son," she said it showed that they were not at all humans. She demanded that the guilty be handed exemplary punishment, which would be a deterrent. "CBI did a good job," she said.
She, further, said: "We were waiting for this day all these days. We think we have got justice. The punishment will be made known on March 30. We have faith in judiciary. No other family must be affected like us."
Jebasingh of Tirunelveli, an advocate on behalf of the victims' family said blood stains of victims from a van, (taken to transport them to jail) lathi and a table in police station helped establish torture and prove the charges.
The court has sought from the state government details of assets and last drawn salaries of the convicted policemen to slap a penalty on them. A report on the health condition of the accused/convicted policemen has also been sought by the court, he added.
