The article “Learning to expect the unexpected” by R Srinivasan (March 6) is interesting and informative. Progress in any field is the result of innovations which cause the product to be better in all ways. The only negative is that sometimes it may lead to extra costs.

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

They can do it

There is no room for confusion from the tax point of view in the matter of CSR (“CSR still has some grey areas” by Sidharth Birla, March 5). We need to understand the intention behind section 135 of the Companies Act 2013, recommending a 2 per cent spend of the average net profit for social responsibilities.

This is meant to make corporates responsible. Since such expenses need to be incurred out of net profit, where is the question of waiving such expenses from tax assessment? It would unnecessarily lead to long-drawn calculations, which would add to further confusion.

Social spending has to be out of net profits generated, and corporates should expect no further allowances or exemption regarding such expenses.

It has been clarified recently that spending on political parties would not qualify as CSR. Why do we forget that the threshold limit for the application of CSR has been set keeping in mind that corporates with a net worth of ₹500 crore or turnover of ₹1000 crore or net profit of ₹5 crore can easily sustain themselves in spite of such expenses? Giving back to society is not an unjust demand.

Vinay Singhal

Gurgaon

Mind-boggling

The news that property to the tune of ₹863 crore was seized by the Enforcement Directorate is mind-boggling (“ED attaches Jagan’s properties”, March 6).

The very fact that such a huge property is owned by a politician and his associate is a serious matter. Unless there is documented support, there will be suspicion about how the deal came to be. The issue has come up at an inopportune time for YSR Congress President YS Jagannatha Reddy — when election dates have been announced.

The disproportionate assets case should be pursued with all seriousness in a professional manner, so that the right signals are sent out. There should neither be witch-hunting nor concealment of facts.

HP Murali

Bangalore

Check your names

This timely leader (“Let the contest begin”, March 6) is a signal to individual voters to go to their respective polling booths on Sunday, March 9, to ensure that their names figure in the voters’ list. Please bring out a page one, full page ad on Saturday exhorting voters to undertake the work on Sunday. We get the law makers we deserve.

Kandasamy

online

Corruption cop

Here comes the Chief Observer on Corruption (COC) to verify the claims of development in Gujarat (“Kejriwal’s Gujarat tour marred by chaos, confusion”, March 6). Kejriwal was unable to offer any sort of model or governance during his tenure as Delhi CM. Now he comes to verify the claims in some other state.

On whose authority? His popularity has gone down so drastically that there were not even 30-40 people in Etawah and Auraiya (in UP) so that he could conduct a public meeting. The UP stage of his jhadu yatra was such a failure that when claims of his opposing Narendra Modi in Varanasi were made, Arvind Kejriwal distanced himself from these claims. Ravindra Agnihotri

Mumbai

Undeserved greatness

“Keep Kakoli safe” by Sandhya Rao (March 6) reminds me of the maxim ‘Some are born great, others achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them’. No guesses for saying who unashamedly thrust greatness upon Rahul Gandhi.

CG Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

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