Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

After the Indian government made paying service charge in hotels and restaurants optional, there has been a huge cry in the hospitality sector. the <keyword id="146581" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="National-Restaurant-Association-of-India">National Restaurant Association of India</keyword> (<keyword id="92417" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="NRAI">NRAI</keyword>) is clearly not happy with the Centre’s ruling and has cited judicial precedent against making service charge optional. 
 
The NRAI stated customers are free not to eat at a restaurant, if they do not wish to pay the service charge. 
 
NRAI, which represents independent restaurants and chains, said levying service charge was a "common and accepted practice" that was "recognised as such" by various government departments. 
 The government had clarified earlier in <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword> that the authorities could act against those levying a service charge without the knowledge and consent of consumers on charges of indulging in "unfair trade practices". 
 
In a statement issued by the Union consumer affairs ministry it had asked states to ensure hotels and restaurants displayed information that service charge was optional on their premises. The ministry also made it clear that this was being done as it had received many complaints from customers who said they were being forced to pay service charge, in lieu of tips, of anything between 5% and 20% "irrespective of the kind of service provided". 
 The ministry said the <keyword id="407235" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hotel-Association-of-India">Hotel Association of India</keyword>, when asked for clarification, replied that a "service charge is completely discretionary" and a customer could have it waived. 
 Defending the levying of service charge, NRAI president <keyword id="366474" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Riyaaz-Amlani">Riyaaz Amlani</keyword> said that restaurants clearly follow the very same Consumer Protection Act that is being used to justify the move to penalise those who levy it without the consent of consumers. 
 
"The act stops us from indulging in any unfair method or deceptive practice. We clearly mention the service charge we levy on our menus. We are not indulging in any unfair trade practice. This is all part of a bill on which the restaurants pay VAT while the employees pay income tax. It also does away with cash tips," he told TOI. 
 Other restraint owner feels that the <keyword id="184317" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Department-of-Consumer-Affairs">Department of Consumer Affairs</keyword> should have waived the charge instead of leaving matters "ambiguous". 
 
"The diner might say the entire meal was nice but the salad was bad. What are we supposed to do in such a scenario? Most complaints we receive are about higher taxes and not service charge. The government didn't waive taxes but waived service charge that diners happily paid," he told TOI. 
 
However most food entrepreneurs believe, this move by the government wouldn't affect the QSR chains much. 
 
Here's what the food entrepreneurs felt: 
 
 Sagar Kumar, Nutritious Nation, gourmet health food: 
"We never charged a 10% charge to our customers in the first place. It's mostly casual dining cafes, fine dining restaurants and places that serve liquor that'll come under the ambit of consumers questioning why we should pay a mandatory 10% tip when the service isn't upto the mark." 
 
Ashish Tulsian, founder of POSist, a point of sale terminal company for restaurants : 
"This move may affect businesses of restaurants for a shorter period of time. Customers will get benefited as they would have a clarity on charges. For example, biryani costing Rs 200 becomes Rs 290 after taxes. Customers will understand clearly know how the calculation has been made. Though initially the restaurants will decide to hike the prices but in the long run, customers will gain." 
 
Sumit Gulati, Gulati Spice Market: 
"We already had a customer today who came in and declared that he won't pay service charge. Without even experiencing the service, he declined. We need to understand that the intent of the decision is good and for the benefit of the client. However, Delhi is known for its notorious behaviour. The whole reason why service charge came into being is because average people here have poor tipping nature."

Restaurant body fights back, says don’t eat if you don’t want to pay. QSR chains okay with the govt's move

With prices of the more advanced <keyword id="122479" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="4G">4G</keyword> devices going down and the eye-catching plans by the manufacturers, third generation smartphones will be extinct quickly. The <keyword id="6378791" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="3G">3G</keyword> devices might be withdrawn completely in duration of 6 months. 
 
It has been decided by the big players in the game like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Samsung+Electronics&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Samsung Electronics</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Oppo&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Oppo</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Vivo&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Vivo</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Lenovo-Motorola&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Lenovo-Motorola</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=HTC&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">HTC</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Micromax+&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Micromax </a>Informatics and <keyword id="6367990" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Panasonic">Panasonic</keyword> that they will now launch only 4G smartphones. 
 "We are not placing any new orders for 3G smartphones. Manufacturers are not importing any new 3G phones," <keyword id="6442405" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="subhash-chandra">Subhash Chandra</keyword>, managing director of south-based retailer Sangeetha Mobiles told ET. 
 The country’s largest cellphone maker, <keyword id="10591" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Samsung">Samsung</keyword>, now has only three 3G smartphones in its portfolio and the remaining 22 are 4G. The company however, has yet not confirmed when it will exit 3G handsets, but has said that 4G phones are becoming the mainstream. 
 "Hence, they would want to take advantage of the 4G offering with higher speeds and reduced data tariff plans. The ecosystem of content, services and applications has evolved significantly, which is fuelling adoption," <keyword id="68726" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="manu-Sharma">Manu Sharma</keyword>, vice president (mobiles business) at <keyword id="161293" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Samsung-India-Electronics">Samsung India Electronics</keyword> told ET. 
 <keyword id="1731609" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Oppo">Oppo</keyword> India will be only selling 4G cellphones by 2017 as confirmed by the company president <keyword id="2871924" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sky-Li">Sky Li</keyword>. <keyword id="16129" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="HTC">HTC</keyword> president (South Asia and India) <keyword id="246348" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Faisal-Siddiqui">Faisal Siddiqui</keyword> said with 4G smartphone prices plunging in India, it will exit 3G smartphones by March. 
 According to Counterpoint's senior analyst <keyword id="1943940" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tarun-Pathak">Tarun Pathak</keyword>, a maturing component ecosystem will lower the pricing of entry-level 4G handsets to about $40 (about Rs 2,600) by the end of 2016. 
(image:Reuters)

3G smartphone demand declines, big players
move to manufacturing only 4G smartphones

The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> on Monday declined to entertain a plea by e-commerce giants <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> and <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword>, saying they must face inquiry by Competition Commission of India (CCI) for anti-competitive practices. A bench headed by Chief Justice <keyword id="2797471" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="N-V-Ramana">N.V. Ramana</keyword> and comprising justices Vineet Saran and Surya Kant said: "Big organizations like you ( Flipkart and Amazon) should volunteer for inquiry... Inquiry has to be conducted." The bench declined to interfere with the orders of the <keyword id="6371973" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="karnataka-high-court">Karnataka High Court</keyword>, which refused to interfere with the preliminary enquiry ordered by the CCI into their alleged anti-competitive practices. The top court emphasized that the CCI inquiry must go on. However, the court accepted the request made by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi for extending the time for the companies to reply to CCI. The e-commerce companies had moved the apex court challenging the Karnataka High Court order. The bench said it sees no reason to interfere in the high court order, and seeing that time granted is expiring on 9 August, "we extend it by 4 weeks". On July 23, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the plea by Amazon and Flipkart against a probe initiated by CCI for the alleged violation of competition law. A division bench comprising justices Satish Chandra Sharma and Natraj Rangaswamy passed the order on a batch of appeals moved by the e-commerce companies challenging a June 11 order passed by a single judge of the high court. The bench noted that by no stretch of imagination the inquiry can be quashed at this stage and the appellants shouldn't be afraid of investigation by CCI. The bench said: "In the considered opinion of the court, appeals filed by appellants are devoid of merit and deserved to be dismissed..." Amazon had moved Karnataka High Court against a CCI order which had called for a director general (DG) level investigation into allegations of anti-competitive conduct in the online sale of smartphones on its platform. The Delhi Vyapar Mahasangh (DVM), the informant before the CCI, had alleged predatory pricing, deep discounting, preferential seller listing, and exclusive partnerships, among others, against Amazon and Flipkart. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-great-freedom-festival-get-last-day-deals-and-discounts/articleshow/85173017.cms">Amazon Great Freedom Festival 2021: Best last day tech deals and offers</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/gadgets/news/vivo-launched-its-y53s-with-64mp-rear-camera-in-india-on-monday/articleshow/85173234.cms">Vivo launched its Y53s with 64MP rear camera in India on Monday</a>

Supreme Court asks Amazon, Flipkart to volunteer for CCI probe

From December 16, artists and art connoisseurs gathered in large numbers in <keyword id="826" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Goa">Goa</keyword> to witness first edition of the week-long Serendipity <keyword id="459683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arts-festival">Arts Festival</keyword> (<keyword id="3976491" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="SAF">SAF</keyword>), that brought together dance, photography, music, theatre, food, science and visual art blurring boundaries and thus widening the narrow perspective that art festivals were previously viewed with. 
 
As India's first multi-disclipinary arts festival, SAF had a difficult work set out in front of them- to drive enough crowds so as to make it an integral part of Goa and the country's cultural calendar and for making art relatable through a cohesive cultural experience for every visitor. 
accustom laymen with the concept and make art relatable. 
 
In both these counts, the festival, spearheaded by Sunil Munjal, outperformed itself, despite logistical snares and initial low turnout. With fourteen curators, over 40 commissioned projects and performances, spread daily over eight beautiful venues ably delivered what it ambitiously promised- morphing all its parts seamlessly into a wholesome cohesive arts festival. 
 Praise, in part should be also be bestowed on the eminent list of curators the organisers managed to get hold of. From <keyword id="6517626" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shubha-Mudgal">Shubha Mudgal</keyword>, Lillete Dubey to Manu Chandra and Wendell Rodricks, to name a few, each of the curators put up a delightful never-seen before experience in front of the visitors. 
 
Mornings started off with admiring art at the majestic Adil Shah Palace and listening to conclaves comprising art aficionados like Tishani Doshi and Ranjit Barot debating what an art art institution in the city should look like, followed by a relaxing wine or feni appreciation workshop which were usually succeeded by superlative dance and music performances that had the collective power to magically transform you into a different world. 
 
If there was one complaint, it would be missing out on a chance to see the legendary Shubha Mudgal perform. Keeping that grief aside, here are our top six picks from the first edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival that concluded today:

Five reasons why Serendipity Arts Festival could be a game-changer in Goa's cultural calendar

In a bid to give tough competition to its rivals, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=jabong">Jabong</a> is hiring an army of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=chief+executive">chief executive-level</a> employees that can lead the company in next phase of growth. 
 
Online marketplaces like <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=flipkart">Flipkart</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=myntra">Myntra</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=snapdeal">Snapdeal</a> have strengthened their core teams and <keyword id="6388367" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jabong">Jabong</keyword> is toeing on the same lines for the last six months. 
 
"We are looking to hire a chief technology officer, a chief marketing officer, a chief operating officer and strong product leaders to lead the company in its next phase of growth. While some of the positions will be filled from inside Jabong, for others we have been on the lookout since last year," Jabong cofounder and managing director Praveen Sinha told Economic Times. 
 
Sinha hinted that once the top team is ready, Jabong may also look for a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=CEO">CEO</a> to replace the founders. 
 
“If you ask me whether I would be running Jabong for next 30 years, the answered would also be a 'No'," said Sinha. 
 
As per news reports, RockInternet, which owns Jabong, mulls to give cofounders Sinha and Arun Chandra Mohan, currently CEO of Jabong, new roles within the company. 
 Recently, <keyword id="541988" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="SnapDeal">Snapdeal</keyword> hired more than six executives from companies such as Coca Cola, Airtel, P&amp;G and Unilever in its top team, while <keyword id="6354742" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Flipkart">Flipkart</keyword> poached people from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=motorola">Motorola</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=google">Google</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=yahoo">Yahoo</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=amazon">Amazon</a>. 
 
Sinha and Mohan started Jabong in 2012 along with Lakshmi Potluri, Manu Jain and Mukul Bafana. Potluri left the online fashion retailer to start ecommerce platform Shopify. Jain is now India head for Xiaomi and Bafana is chief product officer at Arvind Internet.

You Searched For "Manu Chandra" and got 5 results

Restaurant body fights back, says don’t eat if you don’t want to pay. QSR chains okay with the govt's move

BI India Bureau

3G smartphone demand declines, big players move to manufacturing only 4G smartphones

BI India Bureau

Supreme Court asks Amazon, Flipkart to volunteer for CCI probe

IANS

Five reasons why Serendipity Arts Festival could be a game-changer in Goa's cultural calendar

Poulomi Das

This is your chance to enter Jabong at top-level

BI India Bureau

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides