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After initial confidence among government officials that India would swiftly sign bilateral investment treaties (BITs) with partner nations, it has now emerged that a number of countries, including the US, Canada and the European Union (EU) nations, have expressed reservations on some issues, including international arbitration. This has led to negotiations slowing down and signing of BITs, with India’s major global partners taking more time thanpreviously anticipated, BusinessStandard has learnt. Senior government sources say most countries, with whom India is negotiating the signing of BITs, have reservations about the fact that India’s BIT allows foreign companies and related aggrieved parties to seek international arbitration, only if they have exhausted all domestic dispute redressal mechanism or legal options. This provision does not sit well with partner nations, who want unconditional access to international arbitration. As a result, negotiations are delayed. BusinessSt

Having zeroed in on fund manager, the finance ministry is considering to launch second tranche of exchange traded fund ( ETF) comprising stocks of 10 public sector units (PSU) by the end of December. The second tranche of the ETF may hit the market by the end of the next quarter, sources said. Besides, anew ETF will be launched after the second tranche of the current ETF is issued, sources said, adding the new ETF will be different in  composition from the previous one. Business Standard New Delhi,14th September 2016

In a race against time to roll- out the goods and services tax ( GST) from April 1, 2017, the GST Network ( GSTN) —developing the information technology backbone for the new tax regime — is working closely with business process management ( BPM) software firms like SAP, Tally and Oracle, among others, to facilitate timely preparedness of the corporate sector for the transition. This comes amid the industry requesting six months time for the roll- out — from the time laws and rules are finalised in order to align their systems with the new law. The GST laws are expected to be finalised by November- December this year. However, the GSTN is planning to meet about 100- 150 BPM software firms by September- end and hand over the application programming interface ( API) to develop the enterprise resource planning ( ERP) software, which will act as an interface between their clients and GSTN. “We don’t need to assist all companies, but just 100- 150, which will, in turn, help the corpo

A tax of 2-3% proposed so that seamless flow of credit is not broken & cascading is remove Petroleum products, including crude and some intermediate products, could be taxed under the proposed goods and services tax (GST), a move that will reduce the imperfections in the new levy and also narrow the inflationary impact of the tax. A proposal favouring imposition of a modest tax on these products is being examined and is expected to be taken up by the newly constituted GST Council where the government will try and convince states of its merit. The idea is to have some mini mal tax of about 2-3% so that se amless flow of credit is not bro ken and casca ding is removed. These products are at present proposed to be covered within the GST but zero rated till the time the council decides to impose a tax. States will continue to have freedom to levy local sales tax on it. States have been opposed to a change in tax regime for petroleum goods, an easy way of quickly mopping up

www.caonline.in News... 1. MCA has enforced certain provisions of Companies Act, 2013 w.e.f 9th Sept, 2016. Section 227, 242, 246,241 or 245 and Sec 337 to 341 (to the extent of their applicability for Section 246. 2. ESIC Hikes wage ceiling from Rs.15000 to Rs.21000 w.e.f 1st Oct 2016. 3. MCA amends Schedule V of the Companies Act,2013, w.e.f. 12th September, 2016. MCA Notification dated 12.09.2016. 4. For GST roll out wef 01.04.2017, Parliament will have to approve CGST & IGST Bills & State Assemblies will pass their own SGST Bills. 5. Under GST For refund, assessee to submit CA Certificate that GST burden not passed to customer. Self Certification upto threshold amount.