D Fadnavis Says "Performance Review" Of New Ministers Soon, Adds A Warning

A total of 39 legislators from Mahayuti allies were sworn in on Sunday in the first cabinet expansion of the 10-day-old Devendra Fadnavis-led ministry including 16 new faces, while 10 former ministers were excluded.

Portfolios will be allocated in the next two to three days, the Chief Minister said.

While 33 legislators were sworn in as cabinet ministers, six took oath as ministers of state.

The new inductees will, however, have to perform with Mahayuti allies deciding to conduct a "performance audit" of ministers during their tenure, Fadnavis said.

Prominent leaders who couldn't find a place in the new council of ministers include BJP's Sudhir Mungantiwar, senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, and Shiv Sena's Abdul Sattar.

The council of ministers is a mix of old and new faces which reflects Fadnavis' efforts in balancing caste equations including sections of Marathas, OBCs, SCs, and STs and striking a regional balance.

With the new inductees, the strength of the Fadnavis-led ministry has gone up to 42, including the CM and his deputies Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) and Ajit Pawar (NCP). One berth was kept vacant.

While the BJP secured 19 ministerial berths by virtue of being the largest among allies, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party were allotted 11 and 9 berths, respectively.

Governor C P Radhakrishnan administered the oath to the new ministers at a ceremony held on the eve of the state legislature's winter session in Nagpur.

Addressing a press conference after the cabinet was expanded on the eve of the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, Fadnavis said Mahayuti allies have agreed to conduct a "performance audit" of ministers during their tenure.

While Fadnavis didn't mention any timeline, Deputy CM and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde said the ministers of his party will get two-and-a-half years and those who perform will progress.

Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar said "non-performers" can be replaced in two-and-a-half months also.

Hours before the cabinet expansion ceremony, Pawar said that some of those who took oath would have a tenure of two-and-a-half-years, underlining constraints in accommodating aspirations of hopefuls.

Fadnavis said the Mahayuti government will start working towards developing Maharashtra.

"We have decided on the portfolio allocation and it will be announced in two to three days. Our administration will focus on swift development," he said.

Fadnavis said he and his deputies- Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar- have told new ministers that they would be subjected to a performance audit.

"Performance audit of ministers will be done and all three of us have agreed to this," he said.

The CM said those leaders of the BJP who couldn't find a place in the Cabinet may be assigned an organisational role.

Shinde said he had decided at the Shiv Sena party level to give two-and-a-half years to new ministers.

"Those who work good will progress," he added.

The BJP, which won the maximum 132 seats in the assembly elections, got the largest chunk of 16 ministers of Cabinet rank and three MoS. Shiv Sena was allotted nine positions as Cabinet ministers and two MoS, while the NCP will have eight ministers of Cabinet rank and a minister of state.

Among the new inductees, four are women, including Pankaja Munde, Madhuri Misal, and Meghna Bordikar of BJP and Aditi Tatkare of NCP.

Munde and Tatkare took oath as Cabinet ministers, and Bordikar and Misal as MoS.

Prominent leaders excluded in the new Cabinet are Bhujbal and Dilip Walse Patil of NCP, and Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of BJP.

From Shiv Sena, former ministers Tanaji Sawant, Deepak Kesarkar, and Abdul Sattar were not re-inducted. Anil Patil, Sanjay Bandsode, and Dharmarao Baba Atram of NCP also missed the second chance.

The swearing-in ceremony at Raj Bhavan in Nagpur was conducted 33 years after the expansion of the Sudhakarrao Naik cabinet in 1991.

The Cabinet expansion saw the re-entry of state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Jaykumar Raval, Pankaja Munde, and Ashok Uike who had served as ministers during Fadnavis' first term from 2014 to 19.

Region-wise, a maximum of nine ministers are from the western Maharashtra region, followed by eight ministers from north Maharashtra, seven from Vidarbha, six from Marathwada, four from the Mumbai/Thane region, and five from the coastal Konkan region.

At the presser, Fadnavis slammed the opposition MVA for terming the Mahayuti government a "government of EVM".

"Our government came to power because every vote has gone for Maharashtra. My government works by the Constitution and respecting the dignity of the Constitution is our priority," the chief minister said.

Fadnavis announced an SIT probe into the murder of Massajog village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh in Beed district.

"The case has been given to CID and an SIT will be set up. Culprits will be punished," the CM said.

He said the violence in Parbhani was orchestrated and pointed out that the stone replica of the Constitution was desecrated by a mentally unstable person who has been arrested.

The CM said those leaders of the BJP who couldn't find a place in the Cabinet may be assigned an organisational role.

Fadnavis said the Mahayuti government was ready to respond to all issues raised by the Opposition provided they do so in the legislature instead of speaking to the media.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"More Tourists Will Go To Bastar Than Kashmir If...": Amit Shah

Once famous for Maoist violence, Bastar is now becoming a tourist destination for many. Appreciating the efforts of the state government and security forces in this transformation, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that if Maoists give up arms in Bastar it will attract more tourists than Kashmir.

"Maa Danteshwari has given immense natural beauty to Bastar. If Maoists end here, I can assure you all that more tourists would be coming here compared to Kashmir," Mr Shah said at the closing ceremony of the Bastar Olympics 2024.

He said the Centre is making many schemes to promote tourism in this region.

"Everyone can see the region's remarkable transformation from Maoist-affected zone to a symbol of peace and development," Mr Shah said.

He said it is the collective responsibility to establish peace in Bastar, foster its development while preserving its natural beauty, and attract tourists from around the world.

"This can only be achieved through the construction of roads, the introduction of railways, the provision of electricity and water, and, most importantly, the establishment of peace," he said.

Mr Shah also highlighted how in the last 10 years of the Modi government a two-pronged strategy is being used to eradicate Maoists.

"On one hand, the security measures against Maoists involved in violence have been strengthened, effectively curbing their activities. On the other hand, efforts have been made to rehabilitate surrendered Maoists," he said.

"यदि नक्सलवाद समाप्त होता है तो #कश्मीर से ज्यादा पर्यटक #बस्तर में आए इस प्रकार का कुदरती सौंदर्य मां दंतेश्वरी ने बस्तर को दिया है। इसके लिए भारत सरकार योजनाएं बना रही है।* यहां पर पर्यटन को आगे बढ़ाएंगे।- केंद्रीय गृह मंत्री अमित शाह pic.twitter.com/9MNBIXrKyy

— Neeta Sharma (@NEETAS11) December 15, 2024

Mr Shahs said the Modi government has focused on developing Maoist-affected areas, which had fallen behind in the development race.

"Because of the efforts of the Modi government, there has been a 73 per cent reduction in the deaths of security forces and a 70 per cent reduction in civilian casualties in areas plagued by Maoists since 1983," he said.

Mr Shah said when the Congress was in power in Chhattisgarh before the BJP assumed charge a year ago, the action against the Maoists became slow. "But after our government came to power in Chhattisgarh, action against the extremists speeded up resulting in killings of 287 Maoists in the last one year, the arrest of 992 Maoists and surrender of 836 others," Mr Shah said.

Mr Shah said after the Modi government assumed charge, there has been a 73 per cent reduction in casualties in security forces and a 70 per cent decline in civilian deaths.

The Home Minister reaffirmed the Modi government's commitment to completely eradicating Maoists from the country by March 31, 2026.

Even as security operations continue, the state government is working on a road map to revitalise the region and transform Bastar, he said, adding the Bastar region is endowed with waterfalls, caves, and national parks like the enchanting Chitrakote waterfalls, also known as the Niagara Fall of India.

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"Rightly Went Unsold": Prithvi Once Again Under Fire After Disappointing Show

Prithvi Shaw once again came under a lot of fire after he failed to score big for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final against Madhya Pradesh on Sunday. While Mumbai ended up clinching the trophy quite easily, Prithvi was dismissed for 10 off 6 deliveries. It has been a tough year for Prithvi after he went unsold in the IPL 2025 auction and he finished the tournament without a single 50+ score. Prithvi started his innings well but was dismissed early by Tripuresh Singh. Users on social media were not happy with his failure and they were quick to express their disappointment.

Prithvi Shaw rightly went unsold at the auction. No fitness. No fielding. No discipline. Cameos at best with the bat.

— Vipul Ghatol 🇮🇳 (@Vipul_Espeaks) December 15, 2024

Mumbai leaned on their collective batting strength to subdue a spirited Madhya Pradesh by five wickets to clinch the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Sunday. Mumbai were stretched on more than one occasion during the chase of 175, a target MP built around skipper Rajat Patidar's fluent unbeaten 81, on a slightly tacky pitch, but eventually they reached 180 for five in 17.5 overs.

Prithvi Shaw isn't even trying to prove the owners of IPL teams wrongpic.twitter.com/zBftxSHjFg

— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) December 15, 2024

This was Mumbai's second SMAT title after winning it for the first time in 2022, while MP's wait for a maiden trophy prolonged to another season.

After a brief period of lull, Suryakumar Yadav (48, 35b, 4x4, 3x6) reactivated his run-making ways and added 52 runs for the third wicket with Ajinkya Rahane (37, 30b, 4x4).

It helped Mumbai to recover from the early dismissals of Prithvi Shaw and skipper Shreyas Iyer, both of them falling to rather causal shots.

At 129 for five in 14.4 overs, Mumbai needed 46 runs but any worries were soon eased by the big-hitting Suryansh Shedge (36 not out, 15b, 3x4, 3x6) and Atharva Ankolekar (16 not out, 6b, 2x6) who knocked off the remaining runs without much fuss in a little over three overs.

Earlier, Patidar shone brightly while hammering his fifth fifty of this tournament.

The right-hander, who was retained by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, entertained an over 15,000-crowd, who backed him and MP to the hilt, with twinkling shot-making.

In fact, Patidar singlehandedly held the MP innings together as the next highest was a 23 by Shubhranshu Senapati.

(With PTI inputs)

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Centre To Amend J&K Act To Align It With 'One Nation, One Poll' Initiative

The Centre will introduce a bill to amend 'The Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019' in Lok Sabha next week, to integrate the Union Territory with its 'One Nation, One Election' initiative, a senior government official told NDTV.

"The existing Union Territory Assembly will complete its full term and in case of premature dissolution of the assembly, mid-term election to be held for only the remaining period of 5 years. Centre is introducing a bill to this effect," a senior government official said.

The official said this will allow the Centre to amend the law to integrate Jammu and Kashmir with the initiative.

As per business scheduled in Lok Sabha on Monday, Union Law Minister Arjun Meghwal would introduce 'The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill-2024' to make changes in the 'Government of Union Territories Act, 1963', the 'Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act', 1991 and the 'Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019'.

"While the amendments in the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act, 1991 have been proposed for respectively for synchronisation of assembly polls of Puducherry and Delhi with Lok Sabha polls, the amendments in J&K Reorganisation Act- 2019 will align Jamm and Kashmir's electoral cycle with Lok Sabha polls," he further explains.

As per amendments proposed in the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, the term of the Legislative Assembly shall come to an end on the expiry of the full term of Lok Sabha.

The bill states that simultaneous elections would come into effect on an "appointed date" to be notified by the President on the first sitting of the Lok Sabha after a general election.

"As the first sitting of the Lok Sabha elected in 2024 has already taken place, the earliest appointed date for simultaneous elections that can only be notified is the first sitting of the House elected in the 2029 elections. This means that simultaneous polls could be held by 2034 when the full term of that House ends," an official told NDTV, explaining the bill.

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"Arrest Of Allu Arjun Proves...": Union Minister Slams Congress In Telangana

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today launched an attack on the Congress government in Telangana over the arrest of superstar Allu Arjun in the stampede case during the screening of 'Pushpa 2: The Rule'. A woman had died in the stampede.

Allu Arjun was granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court today.

"Congress has no respect for the creative industry and the arrest of Allu Arjun proves it yet again," the Union Minister wrote on X.

He said the unfortunate incident at Sandhya Theatre, where the woman was killed and her child was critically injured in the stampede due to fan frenzy, was a clear case of poor arrangement by the state and local administration.

"Now, to deflect that blame, they are indulging in such publicity stunts," Mr Vaishnaw said.

He said the Telangana government should instead help those affected by the stampede and punish those who made the arrangements that day, instead of continuously attacking film personalities.

"It is also sad to see this becoming a norm in the one year Congress has been in power there," Mr Vaishnaw said.

Congress has no respect for the creative industry and the arrest of Allu Arjun proves it yet again.

The mishap at Sandhya Theatre was a clear case of poor arrangements by the state and local administration. Now, to deflect that blame, they are indulging in such publicity...

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) December 13, 2024

The Hyderabad Police arrested Allu Arjun in a case filed against him by the woman's family in connection with the stampede.

He was arrested from his house in Jubilee Hills, hours after he returned from Delhi after attending the success meet of 'Pushpa 2'. He was granted interim bail for four weeks by the high court after a city court sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

For regular bail, Allu Arjun was told to approach the Nampally court.

Many celebrities and politicians came out in support of the superstar; they said celebrities are becoming soft targets.

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Ranthambore Tourists Record Video Of Tiger Hunting Deer, Slammed

A group of tourists in Rajasthan's Ranthambore National Park is facing backlash online for recording a video of a tiger hunting a deer from an alarmingly close distance. The clip, posted on Instagram account Ranthambore National Park, shows tourists in safari jeeps witnessing the rare wildlife moment from a close range. It shows a group of safari-goers engrossed in recording the scene on their phone, while one individual takes a selfie as the tiger hunts in the background. 

"During the safari, tourists experienced a rare and breathtaking moment - a tiger hunting a deer right in front of them. The sheer agility, strength, and precision of this majestic predator left them speechless. Such moments remind them of the beauty and brutality of the wild, where every moment is unpredictable. Truly an unforgettable experience," the caption of the post read.

Take a look below: 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ranthambore National Park (@ranthambhorepark)

The video, shared on Instagram just a day back, has garnered more than 1,200 likes and over 12,000 views. The post quickly drew the ire of wildlife enthusiasts who slammed the tourists as well as Ranthambore authorities for allowing people to venture too close to the tiger's natural habitat.

Reacting to the clip, one user wrote, "This is unnecessary. They have been too close." "It's ridiculous that you are allowing so many people near it's habitat, utterly disgusting," commented another. 

"What a sad sight! This is nothing but tiger terrorism at its very best!!" expressed a third user. "safaris per day must be controlled..this is so insensitive and disgusting," wrote a fourth Instagram user. 

Also Read | Video: Chinese Man Documents His Unusual Commute To Work, Internet Calls It "Wild"

"Disrespect of tiger by the drivers and guides .... far too close," said one user. "How would you like it if you're eating food and so many people watch you and record it?" added another.

One user also expressed concern about the park authorities allowing such close interactions. They questioned the park authority's role in ensuring both animal safety and visitor responsibility. "This should never have been allowed, for the safety of both the animal and the tourists," the user wrote. 

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Switzerland Revokes India's Most-Favoured-Nation Status Over Nestle Verdict

Switzerland has taken a unilateral stand after the Supreme Court of India's ruling in the Nestle case. It has revoked the 'Most Favoured Nation' or MFN status accorded to India under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement or DTAA treaty.

Switzerland's move marks a significant shift in bilateral treaty dynamics and will result in a big impact on Indian companies operating in Switzerland as well as on Swiss investments in India.

In its official statement on December 11, the Swiss finance department named the Supreme Court of India and cited its 2023 ruling as the reason for its decision to remove India's MFN status. In its order, the Supreme Court had said that the MFN clause between two nations does not apply automatically when a country joins the OECD, especially if the Indian government already had a prior tax treaty with that country before joining the grouping.

The OECD or Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development was established in 1961 and is headquartered in Paris. It calls itself a forum and knowledge hub for data, analysis, and best practices in public policy to build stronger, fairer, and cleaner societies - helping to shape better policies for better lives. It works closely with policy makers, stakeholders and citizens to establish evidence-based international standards and to find solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges.

A HISTORY TO THE CASE

India had signed tax agreements with Lithuania and Colombia under which the tax rates on certain types of income were lower than the rates it provided to OECD countries. Both countries later joined the OECD.

Under the OECD, the effect of an MFN clause is that one country obligates itself to its treaty partner with respect to offering it a 'more favourable' tax treatment.

Switzerland assumed that Colombia and Lithuania joining the OECD meant a 5 per cent rate for dividends would apply to the India-Switzerland tax treaty under the MFN clause, instead of the 10 per cent which was mentioned in it.

But the Supreme Court ruling meant otherwise -- that the MFN clause between two nations does not apply automatically when a country joins the OECD, and that the prior tax treaty takes precedence, unless the MFN clause is specifically mentioned in a 'notification' in accordance with Section 90 of the Income Tax Act.

WHAT THIS MEANT FOR THE NESTLE CASE

According to the statement by Switzerland's finance department, in 2021, the Delhi High Court while hearing the case against Nestle, upheld the applicability of the residual tax rates after taking into account the MFN clause under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement. This was in line with how Switzerland had interpreted it.

However, in a ruling dated October 19, 2023, the Supreme Court reversed the high court's judgement and stated that, the applicability of the MFN clause was not triggered automatically. The top court ruled that the MFN clause "was not directly applicable in the absence of 'notification' in accordance with Section 90 of the Income Tax Act" - a ruling that impacted Nestle and in-turn went against what Switzerland had hoped for.

SWITZERLAND'S RESPONSE

Switzerland has now responded by unilaterally revoking India's MFN status and squarely named the "Indian Supreme Court" as the reason for its decision.

This means that from January 1, 2025, Switzerland will levy a 10 per cent tax (instead of the current 5 per cent) on dividends payable to Indian tax residents and entities who claim refunds for Swiss withholding tax and for Swiss tax residents who claim foreign tax credits.

The Swiss Finance Department released a statement in which it announced "Suspension of the application of the MFN clause of the protocol to the agreement between the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of India for the avoidance of double taxation with respect to taxes on income."

The statement cited the "2023 ruling by Indian Supreme Court" in a case relating to Nestle for its decision to withdraw the MFN status.

WHAT EXPERTS SAY

Some see Switzerland's move as a retaliatory measure to the Supreme Court ruling, while others see this as a measure of reciprocity.

Nangia Andersen M&A Tax Partner Sandeep Jhunjhunwala called Switzerland's move unilateral and said "This suspension may lead to increased tax liabilities for Indian entities operating in Switzerland, highlighting the complexities of navigating international tax treaties in an evolving global landscape."

"It also underscores the necessity of aligning treaty partners on the interpretation and application of tax treaty clauses to ensure predictability, equity, and stability in international tax framework," Mr Jhunjhunwala told news agency Press Trust of India.

AKM Global Tax Partner, Amit Maheshwari, said that "The main reason behind the decision to withdraw MFN is of reciprocity, which ensures that taxpayers in both countries are treated equally and fairly."

"Swiss authorities announced in August 2021 that based on the MFN clause between Switzerland and India, the tax rate on dividends from qualifying shareholdings would be reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent, effective retroactively from July 5, 2018. However, the subsequent Supreme Court ruling in 2023 contradicted the same," Mr Maheshwari told PTI.

He added that "This could impact Swiss investments in India as dividends would be subject to higher withholding now and income accruing on or after January 1, 2025, may be taxed at the rates provided for in the original double taxation treaty between Switzerland and India, regardless of the MFN clause."

JSA Advocates & Solicitors Partner Kumarmanglam Vijay said "This would especially impact Indian companies having ODI (overseas direct investment) structures with subsidiaries in Switzerland and will raise the Swiss withholding tax on dividends from 5 per cent to 10 per cent from January 1, 2025."

(Inputs from PTI)
 

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