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The Election Commission on Wednesday certified the election of C P Radhakrishnan as the 15th Vice President of India. According to the poll authority, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Vivek Joshi and S S S Sandhu signed the certification of election."Thereafter, a signed copy of the same was handed over to the Union Home Secretary by Bhanu Prakash Yeturu, Deputy Election Commissioner, and Suman Kumar Das, Secretary, which will be read out at the time of the oath taking ceremony of the new Vice President," it said. Radhakrishnan is likely to be administered the oath of office by President Droupadi Murmu on Friday, officials said. The president is expected to administer the oath of office to Radhakrishnan at a formal ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on September 12, they said. The 67-year-old Radhakrishanan won the vice presidential election on Tuesday, defeating the joint opposition nominee B Sudershan Reddy by a margin of 152 votes. The election was necessitated as Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from the post on July 21, citing health issues.

Infosys’ board meeting on Thursday to consider a share buyback proposal has infused fresh life into the stock, which has rallied 7% in the past two sessions. As the buzz builds, ET Markets explains why companies do share buybacks and what it means for investors:Companies buy back their shares either through open markets or via the tender route for various reasons. Here are eight common ones:Enhance shareholder valueBy reducing the number of outstanding shares, earnings per share (EPS) rises. This often boosts the stock price and signals confidence to the market.Return excess cash to shareholdersCompanies sometimes distribute surplus cash through buybacks. This method is tax-efficient and benefits only participating shareholders, unlike dividends, which are distributed to all. It is especially popular in markets with high dividend distribution tax.Signal of undervaluationManagement may initiate a buyback if it believes the stock is undervalued. It signals confidence in the company’s growth and fundamentals.Stabilise stock priceBuybacks provide support in volatile or weak markets, boosting investor sentiment.Offset dilution from ESOPsCompanies issuing large numbers of employee stock options (ESOPs) often use buybacks to prevent excessive dilution of existing shareholders’ stakes.Defend against hostile takeoversBy reducing the free float, buybacks make it harder for an acquirer to accumulate a controlling stake.Flexibility versus dividendsUnlike dividends, buybacks are one-time events, giving companies flexibility to manage cash without committing to recurring payouts.Regulatory or tax arbitrageIn some cases, tax treatment makes buybacks more attractive than dividends. In India, since 2019, the tax on buybacks shifted to the company instead of shareholders, making it beneficial for investors.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a Tata Motor-led auto giant, confirmed a cyber incident that has disrupted its global systems and may have compromised data, the automaker said in a statement on Wednesday.JLR has not disclosed details on the scale of the breach or the type of data affected.“Since we became aware of the cyber incident, we have been working around the clock, alongside third-party cybersecurity specialists, to restart our global applications in a controlled and safe manner,” JLR said.The company stated that its ongoing forensic investigation indicates data impact. “As a result of our ongoing investigation, we now believe that some data has been affected and we are informing the relevant regulators. Our forensic investigation continues at pace and we will contact anyone as appropriate if we find that their data has been impacted,” it added.The statement also acknowledged the operational difficulties the breach has caused. “We are very sorry for the continued disruption this incident is causing and we will continue to update as the investigation progresses,” the company said.