Business
No restaurant can charge 18% tax on products, says complaint
No restaurant can charge 18 per cent tax on products, a complaint by Chandigarh-based advocate Ajay Jagga said on Monday.
He said some of the eateries in Himachal Pradesh were charging 18 per cent GST on products.
Jagga, in a communication to the Central Goods and Services Tax, Shimla Commissionerate, said an eatery in Parwanoo town in Himachal Pradesh was charging 18 per cent GST instead of 5 per cent on its premises, which was incorrect.
“The rate of GST on sales by eateries is five per cent whereas on visit to the restaurant of Timber Trail Resorts, Pawanoo, on last May 27, it has been found that this taxable person is charging GST at rate of 18 per cent i.e. nine per cent under the state GST and equal per cent under the Centre GST, whereas the rate of five per cent i.e. 2.5 per cent state GST and 2.5 per cent under Centre GST,” Jagga said in a complaint.
“The charging of GST at the rate 18 per cent instead of five per cent in the premises of a restaurant appears to be not in accordance with law and needs probe, as lakhs of tourists are paying bills in Himachal Pradesh every day.”
Jagga had earlier made several complaints to the Consumer Affairs Department and the Excise and Taxation Department of the Chandigarh administration.
“It is a clear case of imposition of unjustified costs on the consumers and if someone does it then it is tantamount to restrictive and unfair trade practice,” he said.
“Higher rate of tax (in an arbitrary manner) from commercial point of view should not overrule the consumer interest,” Jagga added.
Earlier, in a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, he had said the Centre should issue necessary advisory to all states that restaurants should stop charging unjustified extra cost, which was being imposed on consumers for items such as pastry, cake, etc.
Business
Sensex, Nifty end higher as FMCG, banking and realty stocks lift benchmark indices

Mumbai, July 1: Indian equity benchmark indices ended higher on Wednesday, supported by strong buying in FMCG, banking, financial and realty stocks.
The Nifty climbed 140.10 points, or 0.59 per cent, to close at 24,005.85, while the Sensex advanced 443.97 points, or 0.58 per cent, to settle at 76,922.64.
Commenting on Nifty technical outlook, experts said that the 24,100–24,200 region, which coincides with the 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA), continues to act as the immediate resistance zone.
“A sustained breakout above this band would reinforce bullish momentum and could pave the way for an advance towards the 24,400 region,” an analyst stated.
“On the downside, the 23,900–23,800 zone continues to serve as a crucial support area, closely aligned with the 20 and 50-day Exponential Moving Averages (EMAs),” a market expert added.
Among the Nifty constituents, Eternal, Adani Enterprises and Nestle India emerged as the top gainers, helping lift the benchmark index.
The broader market also finished in positive territory, with the Nifty MidCap index rising 0.34 per cent and the Nifty SmallCap index gaining 0.36 per cent.
On the sectoral front, the Nifty Realty index led the gains, followed by the Nifty FMCG and Nifty Auto indices, as investors accumulated shares in these sectors. However, the Nifty IT, Nifty Metal and Nifty Pharma indices underperformed the broader market and ended with relatively weaker gains or losses.
Analysts said that domestic equities extended their upward momentum, with gains across key sectors outweighing weakness in information technology, metal and pharmaceutical stocks.
“The domestic markets entered H2 CY26 on an optimistic footing as multiple headwinds began to abate, with the anticipated US-India trade agreement, easing Middle East tensions, and benign oil prices emerging as the key drivers of positive sentiment,” an analyst added.
Business
MSC Group’s arm to invest around $1.4 billion for 49 pc share in Adani’s Vizhinjam port

Ahmedabad, June 30: Adani Ports on Tuesday said it has entered into a definitive agreement with MSC Group under which MSC’s container terminal operating and investing arm Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) will invest for 49 per cent interest in Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL), the concessionaire for Vizhinjam port.
The strategic collaboration represents the single largest foreign private investment in Indian port infrastructure and cements Vizhinjam’s emergence as a dominant transshipment gateway in the Indian Ocean region.
TiL will invest $1.397 billion, equivalent to its proportionate 49 per cent share in Vizhinjam port in total deal value of $2.85 billion.
“Vizhinjam port has emerged as a premier transshipment hub and ramped up at an unprecedented pace, becoming the first Indian port to earn the unique distinction of crossing two million TEUs within 18 months of operations,” said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO, APSEZ.
“I am delighted to expand APSEZ’s long-standing partnership with MSC to Vizhinjam, as we prepare for the port’s next leg of journey. I am confident that our association will deliver enhanced supply chain efficiencies at a global scale and improve India’s access to key global mature and developing markets,” Gupta said.
The transaction is subject to customary approvals, including regulatory ones.
The strategic collaboration between APSEZ and MSC Group will deliver significant advantages for APSEZ, including enhanced volume visibility and accelerated ramp-up ahead of plan, driven by additional cargo volumes; a higher share of Bangladesh cargo, largely dependent on competing Southeast Asian transshipment hubs; strengthen presence on East Africa trade routes; and elevated relay cargo volumes.
TiL is one of the world’s largest container terminal operators and part of the MSC Group comprising a portfolio of more than 100 container terminals across five continents and a throughput of more than 70 million TEUs per annum.
Commissioned in December 2024, Vizhinjam port is India’s first deep-draft mega transshipment port with 1.6 million TEU capacity. The port is undergoing expansion that will increase capacity 3.5x to 5.7 million TEUs by December 2028, according to the company.
Vizhinjam port is strategically located just 10 nautical miles from the East-West shipping route connecting Europe, the Persian Gulf, and the Far East.
During FY26, Vizhinjam port handled 1.3 million TEUs. In its first year, Vizhinjam port handled 1.3 million TEUs and 615 vessels, becoming the fastest Indian port to cross the one million TEU milestone.
Business
Indian equity benchmarks open higher amid mixed global cues

Mumbai, June 30: India’s benchmark equity indices opened higher on Tuesday amid mixed global cues, with investors also keeping an eye on the derivatives expiry and the start of the June quarter earnings season.
Sensex opened at 77,005.51, up 277.14 points or 0.36 per cent. Nifty also began the session mildly positive opening at 24,032.05, an increase of 85.80 points or 0.35 per cent.
Among sectoral indices, Nifty Realty led the gains, rising 0.54 per cent. Nifty Private Bank and Nifty Auto jumped up to 0.45 per cent. Buying was also seen in chemicals, PSU banks, oil and gas, consumer durables and healthcare stocks.
On the other hand, Nifty IT declined 0.18 per cent, while Nifty Metal slipped 0.13 per cent. Nifty FMCG was marginally lower.
From the Nifty stocks, Eicher Motors, Tata Consumer Products, Hindalco Industries, HDFC Life Insurance, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Max Healthcare, SBI Life Insurance, Hindustan Unilever and Infosys were the top losers.
According to market experts, the absence of major near-term triggers is likely to keep markets range-bound, with investors shifting their focus to the upcoming June quarter (Q1) earnings season.
They added that momentum indicators have started showing signs of moderation, suggesting that the market may continue to consolidate in the near term.
“The market is currently consolidating within a defined range, and traders should watch for a decisive move above the 24,200 level or below 23,800 on the Nifty to confirm the next directional trend. Until then, range-bound trading with stock-specific action is expected to dominate market activity,” the experts said.
International oil benchmark Brent crude slipped 0.66 per cent to $73.42 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell nearly 1 per cent to trade around the $70-a-barrel mark.
Asian markets traded on a mixed note. Japan’s Nikkei gained more than 1 per cent and South Korea’s KOSPI also advanced over 1 per cent. However, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng declined by more than 1 per cent.
US markets ended in positive territory, with the S&P 500 rising 1.18 per cent and the Nasdaq Composite climbing nearly 2 per cent.
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