LS clears Companies Amendment Bill

The Lok Sabha approved the Companies Amendment Bill, 2019, a legislation aimed at tightening corporate social responsibility (CSR) norms and ensuring stricter action for non-compliance of company law regulations. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government has de-registered 4 lakh shell companies as the Lok Sabha approved the Bill unanimously after Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury withdrew statutory resolution opposing it. tns

Come UAPA, Saeed, Azhar to be 1st ultras

As the changes in the UAPA are set to come into effect soon, officials in the MHA indicated that the first two individuals to be designated as terrorists were Pakistan-based Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar. Passed by the Lok Sabha earlier this week, the Bill, amending the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, is waiting the Rajya Sabha approval. The proposed changes in the Act will provide for seizure of properties and putting travel ban on such individuals once they are declared terrorists. tns

MPs divided on compulsory voting

Members in the Lok Sabha were divided on whether India should make voting compulsory in elections. Participating in a debate on a private member's Bill to make voting compulsory on Friday, Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP), B Mahtab (BJD), Rajendra Agarwal (BJP) opposed the idea, while Nihal Chand (BJP) and Jagdambika Pal (BJP) supported it. pti