Pioneer in short
Govt opposes PIL on air purifiers
The Centre has opposed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court seeking directions to classify air purifiers as “medical devices” and reduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on them from 18 per cent to 5 per cent. In an affidavit, the Centre argued that judicial intervention in tax matters is constitutionally impermissible, as decisions on GST rates fall exclusively within the domain of the GST Council. Citing the doctrine of separation of powers, the Centre said courts cannot substitute themselves for constitutionally designated bodies in matters of economic policy and fiscal structuring. Any direction to alter GST rates or compel the GST Council to meet or adopt a specific outcome would undermine the constitutional framework and cooperative federalism under Article 279A, it said. The PIL, filed by advocate Kapil Madan, contends that air purifiers should not be treated as luxury items amid severe air pollution in Delhi and adjoining regions. The court had earlier questioned the Centre on lowering GST to make purifiers affordable and had asked the GST Council to consider tax relief. The matter is listed for hearing on Friday.
Lankesh murder accused in poll fray
An accused in the 2017 murder of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh is contesting the January 15 Jalna Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra as an independent candidate. Shrikant Pangarkar, who is facing trial in the high-profile case, is contesting from ward 13, where he is up against candidates from the BJP and other parties. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has not fielded a candidate from the ward. Pangarkar had joined the Shiv Sena ahead of the November 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, but his induction was put on hold following public backlash over his alleged involvement in the Lankesh murder. Gauri Lankesh was shot dead outside her Bengaluru home on September 5, 2017, sparking nationwide outrage and debates on free speech, ideology and political intolerance.
BJP MLAs slam Gujarat Govt
Five BJP MLAs from Gujarat’s Vadodara district have written to CM Bhupendra Patel accusing Government officials of functioning arbitrarily, ignoring elected representatives, and being disconnected from public grievances. In a letter submitted to the CM’s office in Gandhinagar, the legislators alleged that the district administration has come to a “standstill” and that officials present a “rosy picture” to the Government while concealing ground realities. The MLAs - Shailesh Mehta (Dabhoi), Ketan Inamdar (Savli), Dharmendrasinh Vaghela (Waghodia), Akshay Patel (Karjan) and Chaitanyasinh Zala (Padra) — claimed that senior officials such as the Collector, DDO, Superintendent of Police and Police Commissioner act on personal whims and display unprofessional conduct.
