On Wednesday, members of the Mysore Bar Association staged a demonstration near the Mahatma Gandhi statue, located opposite the law courts, to express support for the proposed amendments to the Waqf Board Act by the Union government. The protest also addressed concerns over the alleged misuse of the Waqf Act, which they claim is being used for land acquisition from farmers in the state.
Led by Mysore Bar Association President S Lokesh, the protestors called for the Union government to proceed with the suggested amendments, asserting that the current implementation of the Waqf Act is harmful to national interests.
In addition to the demonstration, the association presented a petition to the Joint Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Admin), DGSTO, requesting a permanent exemption from profession tax for legal practitioners in Karnataka. They emphasized the financial challenges faced by lawyers, who are critical to supporting the judiciary, ensuring justice, and facilitating fair dispute resolution. They pointed out that prior to the implementation of the GST Act, legal professionals were exempt from profession tax under the Karnataka Tax on Professions, Trades, Callings, and Employment Act, based on their years of practice.
In related news, former MP Pratap Simmha accused the state government of misusing the Waqf Act for land acquisition, particularly in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts, where over 600 acres were reportedly notified as Waqf land. He claimed that the CM’s appeasement policy led to government lands being designated as Waqf land, a move that was not previously enforced despite a 1965 gazette notification. Simmha also alleged that land owned by mutts is now being labeled as Waqf land.
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