Business
Proposed amendments to insurance laws may lead to disputes in health claims, misappropriation: Unions

The proposed amendment to the definition of health insurance business is not exhaustive and may lead to disputes at the time of claims, said four unions in the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
The Unions also said the proposed amendments does not define the term liability which may lead to misappropriation by the insurers.
The four unions are: Federation of LIC of India Class I Officers’ Association, National Federation of Insurance Field Workers of India, All India Insurance Employees Association and All India LIC Employees Federation.
The Indian government has proposed drastic changes to the two insurance laws – Insurance Act 1938 and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act 1999- and has called for stakeholders views the planned changes.
Scrapping of the statutory Rs 100 crore startup capital for life and general insurance business and Rs 200 crore for reinsurance business, allowing different kinds of insurers including captives, changing the investment provisions are some of the major amendments proposed by the Indian government to the insurance laws.
The government also proposes to allow an insurer to distribute other financial products as specified by and subject to regulations and to services related or incidental to insurance business.
As per the proposed amendment to Section 2(6C) of the Insurance Act 1938 “health insurance business” means effecting contracts of insurance that provide sickness benefits or pay for medical and health expenses.
Quoting the existing definition in the Act, the four unions said the existing definition of health insurance business is explicit to include sickness, medical, surgical or hospital expense benefits.
However, the proposed amendment is not elaborative which may lead to dispute during a claim and the insurers may find scope to harass the customer. Therefore, the existing definition should not be replaced, the four unions said.
The employee unions are also opposed to the idea of insurers distributing insurers to distribute other financial products as it may distract the companies from their insurance products, distribution and proper attention on serving the policyholders.
Industry experts also told IANS that the policyholders funds should be ring fenced so that it is not touched by the players in the case of any liability that may arise due to selling other financial products.
The amendments to the laws are proposed in order to increase the penetration of insurance in the country, which continues to be low even after over two decades after opening up the sector.
The employee unions are also against the government’s plan to bring down the net owned funds to Rs.500 crore from the existing Rs 5,000 crore for a reinsurer.
Moreover, the minimum requirement of Rs 5,000 crore was enacted years back. Since then, huge inflation has taken place.
“Reduction in requirement by one tenth may result in insolvency which will put the customers in great sufferings. Therefore, we are of the opinion not to reduce the amount of net owned funds for new registration,” the unions said.
Referring to the proposed amendments to Section 27 of the Insurance Act, the unions said the proposed change does not define the liability, which may lead to misappropriation by the insurers.
Therefore, the liability must be defined in explicit terms.
On the proposed deletion of Section 27A of the Insurance Act the unions said: “This section deals with the provision of investments with a conservative view to safeguard the interests of the policy holders. Omission of this section may allow for irresponsible investments by the insurers causing huge harm to the customers.”
The unions are also against allowing multilevel marketing in the insurance sector.
Appointment of principal agent, chief agent and special agent to transact any insurance business will bring complexity in the system and will increase the probability of mis-selling as well as fraudulent acts, they said.
National
NDA to contest Bihar polls under Nitish Kumar’s leadership: Jitan Ram Manjhi

Mumbai, July 4: Union Minister and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi on Friday confirmed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections under the leadership of Chief Minister and Janata Dal-United leader Nitish Kumar.
“All the leaders of the NDA have agreed that with five parties in the alliance, including ours, the Bihar elections scheduled for November 2025 will be fought under the leadership of Nitish Kumar. Traditionally, the leader under whom the elections are contested becomes the Chief Minister. So naturally, Nitish Kumar will be our face for the CM post. There is no doubt – we are confident of winning under his leadership,” Manjhi said.
Asked whether he harbours any desire to become Chief Minister again, the 79-year-old leader ruled out the possibility due to his age and current responsibilities.
“As far as age is concerned, I had earlier decided not to be active in electoral politics beyond 75. Still, due to certain circumstances, I contested in 2015 and again in 2020. But now, I am not in a position to contest elections,” he added.
Manjhi said that he “doesn’t consider myself eligible for the Chief Ministerial post”.
“PM (Narendra) Modi has entrusted me with ministerial responsibilities, and I am fully committed to fulfilling them. Even at this age, I am not sitting idle—I’m working hard to strengthen my department. As for the Chief Minister’s post, I do not consider myself eligible anymore. I won’t be able to dedicate the time and energy required, so I have no such ambition,” he said.
He further reaffirmed his party’s unwavering commitment to the NDA, highlighting its contribution and influence within the alliance.
“Hindustani Awam Morcha has four MLAs, one MLC, a minister, and a Lok Sabha member. We have always stood firmly with the NDA and continue to do so. In Bihar, the focus is on development, and under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, the state has seen notable progress in electricity supply, law and order, and education. At the national level, PM Modi has emerged as a towering figure who has transformed India’s image both at home and abroad,” he said.
Manjhi emphasised the power of the “double-engine government” and its appeal to voters across Bihar.
“People here believe that a government led by both Nitish Kumar and PM Modi is best for the state’s future. Every child in Bihar is now thinking that it’s time to support the NDA again. We are united and ready to move forward,” he said.
Crime
Kolkata law college rape: Monojit Mishra made 16 calls in 3 hours, police probe details

Kolkata, July 4: Monojit Mishra, one of the three accused and reportedly the main architect in the law college student gang-rape case, made as many as 16 calls in three hours after the crime incident took place on the evening of June 25.
Those call details are currently being examined by the investigating sleuths, and at the same time, the process of interrogation of those with whom Mishra conversed during that period has started.
The tower locations of the mobile phones of the three accused, namely Mishra, Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, during that period are being tracked by the investigating officials to have an idea of the places they went to immediately after the crime.
Sources said that one of the calls that Mishra made from his mobile phone during that period was to a member of the governing body of the same college. Although the governing body member concerned has already been questioned by the investigating officials, the latter are not willing to disclose anything on the interrogation findings for the sake of the investigation.
This week, the investigation into the case was handed over to the Detective Department of the city police, which has started the probe process by adding new sections against the three prime accused persons.
Before Detective Department took over the charge of the investigation, the three accused persons were charged under sections on rape. However, with the Detective Department taking over the investigation sections relating to abduction and causing injuries with weapons were also slapped on the three.
On Friday morning, around 3 a.m., the sleuths of the detective department reached the campus of the law college in Kolkata along with the three accused for reenactment of the incident.
Sources said that the findings of the reenactment process will be cross-checked with the statement given by the victim soon after the event of sexual harassment took place last week. Earlier, a member of the special investigation team, which was initially investigating the matter, had gone to the college campus with the victim for reenactment purposes.
The woman, a student of the South Calcutta Law College, was allegedly raped by two senior students and an alumnus of the institute in the guard’s room on June 25. Apart from the three, the college guard has been arrested in the case so far.
National
Op Sindoor an example to show when fight to maintain Swaraj is needed, says HM Shah

Pune, July 4: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the responsibility of creating the India of Shivaji Maharaj’s dreams rested with 140 crore Indians, and sometimes, there is a need to fight to protect our ‘Swaraj’. He cited Operation Sindoor as an example of this.
“When there was a need to fight for Swaraj, we fought. If there is a need to fight to preserve Swaraj, we will fight. Operation Sindoor is an example of this. But alongside Swaraj, the idea of a great India also encompasses the concept of Shivaji Maharaj,” he stated in his speech after unveiling the statue of the great patriot and symbol of Maratha pride, Shriman Bajirao Peshwa, on the premises of the National Defence Academy.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil, and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol were among others present on the occasion.
“Our goal should be to create an India where we are number one in the entire world. If there is a personality that inspires effort, dedication and sacrifice for this, it is Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa,” he noted.
“PM Modi has given the formula of development and heritage. There have been many personalities in our thousand-year-old culture who keep inspiring us. Their history needs to be given to today’s youth. Bajirao never fought for himself. He fought for the country and Swarajya. The British distorted history. Despite having so much prowess and power, Bajirao was a lifelong Peshwa. He fought for Swarajya. In his 40 years of life, he wrote an immortal history that no one will be able to write for many centuries,” said the Home Minister.
“The inspiration that will come from installing the statue of Shrimant Bajirao at the National Defence Academy, where the chiefs of all three armed forces train and graduate, will ensure that no one can touch India’s borders,” he asserted.
“Some rules of the art of war never become outdated. The importance of strategy in war, the importance of swiftness, the spirit of dedication, the spirit of patriotism, and the spirit of sacrifice are important. These are what lead armies to victory; only the weapons keep changing. The most exemplary embodiment of all these qualities in 500 years of Indian history is found only in Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa,” said HM Shah.
He further stated, “Shrimant Bajirao Peshwa fought 41 battles in 20 years and did not lose a single one, a record no other commander could match. The most fitting place to install the statue of such a brave warrior, who never let defeat come near him until his death, is the National Defence Academy.”
He said the land of Pune is the birthplace of the values of Swaraj. In the 17th century, it was from here that the concept of Swaraj spread across the nation.
“When the time came to fight for Swaraj again in the face of the British, it was Tilak Maharaj who first roared like a lion — ‘Swaraj is my birthright’. The example of how much a person can do for their country in their lifetime was also set by Veer Savarkar from this sacred land of Maharashtra,” he added.
HM Shah also connected Bajirao’s legacy to the broader historical context, crediting the Maratha warrior and the Peshwas for preserving India’s cultural and structural identity through their resistance against external forces.
He stated, “Had the battle for Independence that was started by Shivaji Maharaj and taken forward by the Peshwas for 100 years not been fought, India’s basic structure would have ceased to exist.”
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