Today in History (September 16th, 1987)
On this day, in 1994, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 16 September as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.
Summary of Today’s News
Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT)
The Central Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 (CGST Act) Section 109 establishes the Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT) and its Benches. GSTAT serves as the specialized appellate authority for settling disputes related to GST laws. It consists of a principal bench in New Delhi and additional benches or boards in states, determined by each state with approval from the council. In the Northeastern states, one bench can cover 2 to 3 states, with an extra bench for particularly remote areas. Both the principal bench and state boards will have two technical and two judicial members each, with equal representation from the Centre and states.
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act of 1960 aims to prevent unnecessary pain and suffering inflicted on animals. It established the Animal Welfare Board of India in 1962. The Act defines various forms of animals and outlines punishments for causing them unnecessary cruelty. It addresses different types of cruelty and also sets guidelines for animal experimentation in scientific research. Additionally, it covers the provisions for the exhibition and treatment of performing animals, along with offenses against them. The Act specifies a 3-month limitation period for prosecuting offenses under its provisions.
Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC)
Srinivasan K. Swamy, the Executive Chairman of R.K. Swamy Hansa Group, has been unanimously elected as the Chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for the term 2023-2024. Riyad Mathew, Chief Associate Editor and Director of Malayala Manorama has been elected Deputy Chairman, while Mohit Jain of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. will serve as Secretary, and Vikram Sakhuja of Madison Communications Private Ltd. has been reelected as Treasurer. The Council of Management for 2023-2024 includes representatives from advertising agencies, publishers, and advertisers. Karunesh Bajaj of ITC Ltd., Aniruddha Haldar of TVS Motor Company Ltd., and Shashank Srivastava of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. represent advertisers. The Secretary-General is Hormuzd Masani.
