The GST Council is set to discuss the application of GST on merchant fees for UPI transactions exceeding Rs 2,000. This comes as a new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) of 0.4% (capped at Rs 300) is effective from October 15 for such transactions, which, as a service, would typically attract an 18% GST levy. The Council's decision is anticipated to consider consumer interests, with merchants potentially able to claim Input Tax Credit.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council's October 7 meeting will focus on 'GST 2.0' process reforms, including e-invoicing and input tax credit rules, while also addressing complex issues surrounding the taxation of the digital economy and cryptocurrency.
Telangana Forest Minister Konda Surekha was dropped from the state cabinet, leading her to accuse Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of "blackmail politics." Surekha claims her removal was due to critical remarks made by her daughter against the CM and other party leaders, despite the Congress high command not favouring her ouster. She has written to top Congress leaders seeking intervention.
The BRICS Youth Ministers' Meeting, organised by India's Sports Ministry, successfully concluded in Visakhapatnam. Presided over by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, the meeting built upon previous youth engagements, focusing on developing young leaders and promoting youth cooperation among BRICS nations.
Maharashtra minister and Asian Cricket Council board member Adv. Ashish Shelar has been unanimously elected as the president of the E Sports Games Federation (ESGF) in India. Shelar, who also holds portfolios for Electronics, IT, AI, and Cultural Affairs, aims to enhance platforms, training, and opportunities for India's growing esports community, especially with the Indian team participating in the upcoming Asian Games.
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi announced that revised NCERT textbooks for classes 10 to 12 are being prepared in "mission mode," while textbooks for classes 1 to 9 under the new National Curriculum Framework have already been released. He emphasised NCERT's role in building a 'Viksit Bharat' and highlighted the need for curricula to evolve with AI advancements and the importance of India's young population as a global asset.
The Payments Council of India has confirmed that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services will continue to be free for consumers and small merchants, despite a recent Lok Sabha Bill. This clarification addresses concerns about potential charges, emphasising that while a sustainable financial model for UPI infrastructure is being developed, transaction charges will not be passed on to users or small businesses.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has publicly supported India's bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He stated that any reform of the UNSC should not grant additional seats to Western countries like Germany and Japan, citing their "militarism and revanchism." Instead, Russia advocates for increased representation from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, specifically backing India and Brazil, while also emphasizing the need to address African interests.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif repeatedly refused to answer reporters' questions regarding Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafiz Saeed during his visit to the United Nations headquarters for the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Five southern states are stepping up coordination on delimitation, tax devolution and language issues, reviving calls for a stronger collective South platform.
JD(U) MLA Anant Kumar Singh has publicly declared his intention to support and campaign for Jan Suraaj Party candidate Anuj Singh against his own party's MLC, Neeraj Kumar, in the upcoming Bihar legislative council polls. Singh cited personal scores and past conspiracies involving Neeraj Kumar and RCP Singh as reasons for his rebellion.
BJP legislators in Karnataka protested during a special legislative session by reciting the full version of Vande Mataram after the official recording played in the Assembly and Council ended after only two stanzas. The Congress government in the state has a standing order to play only the first two stanzas at its programmes, except for high-profile events.
The Chintan Shivir is expected to discuss the progress of government schemes, policy implementation, time management, inter-ministerial coordination, and public service delivery, among others.
75% of India's 60 million digital-payment merchants have never recorded a transaction above 2,000.
Given the current friction in ties, such a visit looks unlikely at this juncture.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met World Aquatics president Husain Al-Musallam to discuss strengthening cooperation, developing aquatic sports in India, and exploring India's readiness to host Asian-level championships. India is also targeting to host the 2038 Asian Games and 2036 Olympics.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka assembly R Ashoka on Sunday announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Janata Dal-Secular would lay siege to Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on August 24 seeking the removal of planning and statistics minister B Nagendra from the cabinet.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced a series of significant educational reforms, including a proposed ban on face coverings like burqas and niqabs in schools, a legal cap on the number of foreign students per classroom, and a requirement for parents of foreign students with integration issues to learn Italian. Meloni stated these measures aim to ensure immigrants learn Italian language and culture, and respect national rules, emphasising gender equality as non-negotiable. Additionally, she revealed plans to scrap the multiple-choice entrance test for medical school admissions.
The Supreme Court has agreed to urgently hear a 2016 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the speedy disposal of criminal cases against lawmakers across India. This decision comes amidst concerns raised by amicus curiae Vijay Hansaria about the high number of legislators facing criminal charges, including chief ministers. The court had previously issued directions in November 2023 to fast-track such trials.
JD(U) president Nitish Kumar and his son Nishant Kumar made a joint appearance at a party orientation programme, sparking speculation about Nishant's political future and potential leadership roles within the party. The event, aimed at training parliamentarians and legislators, also saw Nishant urging attendees to uphold his father's principles of "zero tolerance for crime, corruption and communalism."
The Indian Sports Ministry has sought assistance from the Indian diaspora in Nagoya to help with athlete accommodation at the Asian Games, as several Indian and other athletes have faced delays and issues with their designated lodging due to a lack of a dedicated athletes' village.
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma has given split opinions on whether pleas challenging the 2023 law for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners should be referred to a larger Constitution bench, citing a difference in views on the law's constitutional validity and the executive's role in selections.
Mixed Martial Arts fighter Varun Sanyal, son of PM's Economic Advisory Council member Sanjiv Sanyal, was briefly hospitalised in Nagoya after passing out in a sauna while cutting weight for a competition. He has since recovered and is stable.
The US rejected Iran's proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, citing Tehran's demands for sanctions relief and access to frozen assets before nuclear program negotiations. US Ambassador Mike Waltz called the offer a "cynical attempt," while Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi disputed Waltz's account and reiterated Iran's readiness for both diplomacy and renewed hostilities. President Trump expressed confidence in winning the conflict soon and keeping all options, including military strikes, on the table, with denying Iran a nuclear weapon as the primary objective.
The flag-hoisting ceremony for the Asian Games, involving India and five other contingents, was significantly delayed due to "miscommunication" between the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) and the local organising committee (ANAGOC). The disruption, which lasted over an hour, initially caused confusion and speculation about political issues, but organisers later clarified it was a communication breakdown, adding to existing organisational challenges for the event.
Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal faced a challenging Asian Games debut, marked by logistical issues and a medical disqualification due to a weight-cutting incident. Despite the setback, Sanyal, an Indian citizen with Singapore PR, shares his journey in MMA, his 'fighting nomad' lifestyle, and his aspirations for Indian fighters.
During the Asia Cup final on Sunday, the cameras panned to the guest box at the Dubai international stadium and showed BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia in conversation with Asian Cricket Council Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
China has strongly rejected a US bill that would impose tariffs on countries, including India, for purchasing Russian oil and gas. Beijing views the "Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act 2026" as an act of "long-arm jurisdiction" and interference in its sovereign trade relations, asserting that its economic cooperation with other nations is based on equality and mutual benefit.
Hockey India is embroiled in a significant internal dispute between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh, primarily stemming from an unauthorised jersey colour change. An emergent Executive Board meeting has been called to address this conflict, discuss the restructuring of the Hockey India League (HIL) into a joint venture with franchises, finalise election dates, and deliberate on hosting Asian Champions Trophy events. The meeting also aims to address a show-cause notice issued to the Director General.
The traditional flag hoisting ceremony for the Asian Games in Nagoya, involving India and other nations, was significantly delayed and disrupted due to unspecified "trouble" and a lack of communication between organisers.
Karnataka's two-month-old government saw its first cabinet expansion with 19 MLAs sworn in as ministers, leading to immediate discontent and the resignation of one Congress legislator over his exclusion.
Meta has restricted access in India to a viral AI-generated video depicting Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan dancing with KSEB officials. The video, which garnered 1.78 crore views, was restricted following a legal request, though the creators believe it wasn't due to the CM's objection, as he had previously expressed excitement about it.
The ruling BJP has increased its lead over the Congress in the Rajasthan urban local body elections, winning 3,587 wards against Congress's 3,050. Independents also performed strongly, securing 2,024 wards. While BJP secured a clear majority in Udaipur, Congress won in Ajmer and Pali. Bharatpur, the Chief Minister's hometown, saw Independents leading. These elections are a crucial test for the Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government ahead of the 2028 Assembly polls.
The Defence Acquisition Council, led by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved the procurement of military hardware worth an estimated Rs 1.10 lakh crore for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force. This significant move aims to enhance India's combat prowess and reduce dependency on foreign vendors, with approximately 98 per cent of procurements sourced from Indian industry.
The trophy is supposed to be the full stop to a tournament, not another comma in an India-Pakistan controversy, points out K R Nayar.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra has formally complained to the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, alleging that senior Muslim IAS and IPS officers in West Bengal were deliberately excluded from official events attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Moitra claims these officers were sidelined due to their religion, a pattern she describes as discriminatory and potentially damaging to minority confidence in security establishments.
Hockey India is set to hold an emergent Executive Board meeting on September 18 to address a deepening internal controversy involving President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh, stemming from a jersey colour change. The meeting will also focus on restructuring the Hockey India League (HIL) to create an independent Governing Council with franchise involvement, and discuss upcoming elections and Asian Champions Trophy hosting.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Friday described BRICS as an important global forum, highlighting the grouping's growing demographic and economic weight and noting that its members account for around half of the world's population and 40 percent of global GDP.
The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer's office has issued notices to over 33 lakh voters, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar, over discrepancies in their electoral roll details. These notices are part of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, primarily due to details not matching with the 2002 SIR. Despite concerns raised by some politicians, officials assure that no names will be deleted without due verification and an opportunity for voters to respond.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the missing Asia Cup trophies for both men's and women's teams will eventually reach the BCCI headquarters, though no timeline was given. He also expressed confidence in the women's team winning gold at the Asian Games.
