Delhi HC seeks Centre's reply on LG, Samsung plea against electronic waste management policy hike
The
Delhi High Court
on Tuesday sought a response from the Centre on various petitions filed by electronic manufacturers, including
LG Electronics India
and
Samsung India Electronics
, challenging the
electronic waste management policy
that increased payouts to
electronic-waste recyclers
.
As new rules mandate a minimum payment of Rs 22 per kg to recycle consumer electronics, the companies claim that it will triple their costs and benefit recyclers at their expense as the new prices were 5-15 times higher than the current prices.
A division bench led by chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya issued notice to the Environment ministry on the petitions seeking setting aside of the electronic waste management rules which increased payouts to electronic-waste recyclers among other issues. The court will further hear the matter on May 16.
Stating that the proposed rates were 'very high and should be reduced' and the government should let market forces determine the prices, counsel Vanita Bhargava told the court that the 2024 amendments in
E-waste Management Rules
2022, the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016, and the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 fixing the floor price and the ceiling price for the exchange of EPR certificate were 'manifestly arbitrary and violative of Article 14 and 19 of the Constitution of India and are ultra vires provisions of EP Act under which the Rules were framed.
Instead of enforcing provisions of the EWM Rules, 2022 to monitor and check informal recyclers from processing in an environmentally unsound manner, the burden is being shifted to the producers without any cogent basis, she argued.
Rules 15(9) and 15(10) of the amended E-waste Management Rules establish a mechanism for producers to fulfil their
extended producer responsibility
obligations through the purchase and sale of certificates, with the Central Pollution Control Board ensuring that the value of these certificates reflects the environmental impact of e-waste management.
Samsung also said that 'the regulation of prices does not inherently serve the purposes of
environmental protection
,' and this was 'expected to cause substantial financial impact'.
LG in its petition stated that the government, through amendments, introduced a floor price and the ceiling price for the exchange of the extended producer responsibility certificates, and further, erroneously linked the exchange price of these certificates to the environmental compensation which was to be levied only in the event of a default by a producer. The rules "fail to take into consideration that merely by fleecing companies and taxing them in the name of the '
polluter pays principle
', the (government) objectives sought to be achieved cannot be achieved," the companies said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Ahmedabad crash aftermath: Air India begins Rs 25 lakh interim payouts; trauma support offered to affected families
Air India has started releasing interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased and survivors of the Boeing 787-8 plane crash that occurred in Ahmedabad on 12 June. In a statement issued on Saturday, the airline confirmed that three families have received payments so far, with the rest currently being processed. The compensation rollout began on 20 June. This interim support comes in addition to the Rs 1 crore compensation previously announced by Tata Sons, Air India's parent company. To aid grieving families, Air India has deployed a team of trained psychologists and doctors in Ahmedabad to provide trauma counselling and emotional support. A separate team comprising medical personnel, including nurses and a pharmacist, is addressing ongoing and emerging health needs. A helpdesk, active since 15 June, is assisting families with documentation and claim processing. The airline said this single-window system is helping speed up the compensation procedure. The team of medical personnel, including nurses and a pharmacist has been deployed to address ongoing or emerging health needs, Air India said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Laxmi Ji Idol For Wealth, Peace & Happiness Luxeartisanship Shop Now Undo The airline added that assistance is being extended to families through DNA identification procedures, and at least one caregiver is accompanying each family when mortal remains are released, ensuring respectful transport and funeral arrangements. Additional financial aid, covering travel, medical expenses, accommodation and funeral costs, is also being provided based on individual needs.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Govt increases old age, widow pension by Rs700
Patna: In a major move, the state govt on Saturday announced a nearly three-fold increase in social security pensions, raising the monthly allowance for widows, senior citizens and persons with disabilities from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The hike will benefit over 1.9 crore beneficiaries, who will begin receiving the revised amount from next month. Announcing the decision via social media, CM Nitish Kumar emphasised the importance of ensuring a dignified life for the elderly, describing them as a "precious part of society". He added that the enhanced pension amount would be credited directly to beneficiaries' bank accounts by the 10th of every month. "I am happy to inform you that under the Social Security Pension Scheme, all elderly citizens, disabled people and widowed women will now receive Rs 1,100 per month instead of Rs 400. The revised amount will be disbursed from July and will be credited to accounts by the 10th of each month. This will benefit 1,09,69,255 people," Kumar wrote in his post. The opposition RJD was quick to respond, accusing the govt of mimicking its policies. "The govt is adopting our announcements out of fear of our imminent return to power," said leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. "I announced a hike in the social security pension to Rs 1,500 at a press conference on Dec 6 last year. Now the NDA govt has been compelled to follow suit." The JD(U) defended the move as a continuation of the govt's development agenda. "This hike reflects Nitish Kumar's commitment to 'development with justice'," a party spokesperson said, advising Tejashwi to focus on serving the poor rather than criticising the govt. Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary hailed the decision as historic and thanked the CM for addressing the needs of vulnerable people.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Income Tax Return: Are capital gains from MFs taxed differently under new & old regime? What taxpayers should know about new LTCG, STCG rules
Capital gains from sale of mutual funds (MFs) are taxable In India, under both the old and new income tax regimes. (AI image) Income Tax Return Filing AY 2025-26: One important aspect of income tax return filing, apart from reporting income from salary, is also filling in details of any capital gains - short-term or long-term - that you have made during the financial year. If you are wondering whether taxation of capital gains made from mutual funds differs between the new and the old income tax regime, we have you covered. Capital Gains From MFs: How Does Taxation Work? Capital gains from sale of mutual funds (MFs) are taxable In India, under both the old and new income tax regimes. The categorization of the MF, method of computation of capital gains, is not impacted by the choice of the income tax regime by an individual. 'All the deductions available while computing the capital gains, including towards reinvestment in the specified new asset, continue to be equally available under both the new and old income tax regimes,' says Parizad Sirwalla, Partner and Head, Global Mobility Services, Tax, KPMG in India. Also Read | ITR e-filing FY 2024-25: What is the benefit of pre-filled ITR forms on the income tax portal? Top points In general, from a taxability perspective, MFs are broadly categorized into equity MFs and non-equity MFs. There is also a special category of specified MFs within the non-equity MFs. Parizad Sirwalla tells TOI, 'Effective 23 July 2024, gains from sale of equity MFs, if held for more than 12 months, are classified as Long-term (LTCG) and gains (exceeding Rs 1.25 lakh) are taxable at 12.50%. Short Term Capital Gains (STCG) from sale of equity MFs are taxable at 20%.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Gains from sale of non - equity MFs, held for more than 24 months, are considered LTCG and taxable at 12.50%. STCG from sale of non-equity MFs are taxable as per the income tax slab rates. Further, gains from specified MFs are deemed to be STCG irrespective of the holding period and taxable as per the tax slab rates. Applicable surcharge and cess apply on the above tax rates 'The tax slab rates, surcharge rates and applicable rebates, will apply qua the tax regime chosen. The maximum surcharge under the old tax regime is 37% (triggers beyond income of Rs 5 crore) while under the new regime it is restricted to 25% (triggers beyond income of Rs 2 crore). It may be noted that under both tax regimes, surcharge is restricted to 15% on all LTCG and STCG on equity MF,' Parizad Sirwalla adds. Also Read | ITR e-filing AY 2025-25: What is Annual Information Statement (AIS) and how is it different from Form 26AS? Top points for taxpayers Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
