Here are the top stories this Saturday evening:

Centre extends deadline date for filing Income Tax Returns till December 31 due to COVID

In view of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Finance Ministry has announced an extension of the due date for all the Income Tax Returns for the fiscal year 2019-20. The deadline to file returns has now been extended to November 30, 2020. Consequently, the last date to furnish audit reports including tax audit reports has also been extended till December 31, 2020. 

Read full story here -

 

BJP hits out at 'tweet-friendly' Rahul Gandhi for silence over Hoshiarpur rape case

Questioning former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for his silence over the horrific Hoshiarpur rape case, senior BJP leaders hit out at the Congress' 'selective outrage'. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also slammed the former Congress chief's sister Priyanka Gandhi for remaining mum over the sexual assault of a six-year-old in Punjab. Sitharaman questioned if the incident had not shaken the conscience of the brother and sister duo 'who rush to every place that can help them politically'. 

Read full story here -

Centre releases first tranche of GST dues, Rs 6000 crores transferred to 16 states & 2 UTs

In a big relief to states, the Centre on Friday released the first tranche of pending GST dues, borrowing and transferring Rs 6000 crores to 16 states and two Union Territories (UTs), opening a special borrowing window to address the shortfall in the GST. "The Government of India has evolved a special borrowing window to address the shortfall in the GST collection during the year 2020 - 2021. 21 States and 2 Union Territories opted for this special window involving back-to-back borrowing coordinated by the Ministry of Finance," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

Read full story here -

BJP's Bihar election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis infected with COVID, undergoing treatment

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has tested positive for the Coronavirus on Saturday. The BJP stalwart has been leading the party's campaigning in poll-bound Bihar after he was selected as the election in-charge for the state. Taking to Twitter, Fadnavis informed of his test results and advised those who have come in contact to get tested. 

Read full story here -

EAM Jaishankar says India will uphold interests of developing world at UNSC

India's foreign minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on October 24, while wishing the United Nations its 75th anniversary, said reformed multilateralism has become an important requirement. Jaishankar said that as India will enter the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member next year in January, it will uphold the interests of developing nations and seek to strengthen the global unanimity on key issues of the present times.

Read full story here -