India Archives - Page 10 of 297

07 Aug

Indian Government Holds Technical Discussions With Meta Over Deepfakes and Content Moderation

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAshwini Vaishnaw, Deepfakes, India, Meta, Social Media

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Indian government shifted to technical discussions with social media giant Meta following two days of intensive questioning regarding platform compliance and content moderation. During the session, Meta representatives detailed specific technical solutions and proposed measures to address the Centre's growing concerns over deepfakes, child sexual abuse material, bot accounts, and unlabelled synthetically-generated content circulating across its platforms. Government officials instructed the company to implement specific operational safeguards and report back on measurable outcomes, with regular follow-ups scheduled to track progress. A central focus of the technical talks was the continued virality and reappearance of harmful…

07 Aug

UPI Will Remain Free for Consumers and Small Merchants, Clarifies Payments Council of India

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiadigital payments, Kirana Stores, Payments Council of India, UPI

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Payments Council of India (PCI) has issued a statement clarifying that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions will continue to be completely free for everyday consumers and that small businesses, including local kirana stores, will not face any payment acceptance charges. The clarification comes amid ongoing discussions regarding the long-term sustainability of the payment infrastructure and the potential introduction of merchant charges for select commercial categories. PCI reaffirmed that UPI was originally engineered to make digital transactions accessible to micro-enterprises, and safeguarding small merchants remains central to maintaining inclusive growth across the digital economy. Addressing concerns…

07 Aug

SC Issues Notice to Centre Over Massive Medical Data Breach Involving 1.5 Lakh Indians

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaBhupesh Baghel, CJI Surya Kant, data breach, Mahua Moitra, Supreme Court

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Central Government following a petition alleging a major breach of medical and personal data belonging to nearly 1.5 lakh Indian citizens. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asked the Centre to respond to the plea filed by Vitraya Technologies Private Limited, which seeks a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged data theft. Senior counsel K Parameshwar, representing the petitioner, argued before the court that the breach spans six states and poses a severe threat to citizens' fundamental right to privacy under…

07 Aug

Trees Crash Near Himachal CM’s Shimla Residence; Dense Fog May Cut Visibility to 50 Metres

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingHimachal

Shimla (Rajeev Sharma): Several towering Deodar trees came crashing down on a road near Oak Over, the official residence of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, on Friday morning, disrupting movement in the area. No injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident. The fallen trees created difficulties for pedestrians and commuters, with schoolchildren and other residents having to carefully negotiate their way through the affected stretch. The incident occurred amid unsettled weather conditions prevailing across the state. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has simultaneously warned of dense fog in Shimla, with visibility potentially falling to around 50 metres. Motorists have…

06 Aug

Bombay High Court Convicts Tarun Tejpal in 2013 Sexual Assault Case, Sentences Former Tehelka Editor to 10 Years Imprisonment

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaBombay High Court, Goa verdict, sexual assault conviction, Tarun Tejpal, Tehelka case

Panaji (Gurpreet Singh) — In a landmark judgment, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court overturned a trial court's acquittal and convicted former Tehelka editor Tarun Tejpal of raping a junior colleague in 2013. A division bench comprising Justice Neela Gokhale and Justice Amit Jamsandekar sentenced the 62-year-old to ten years of rigorous imprisonment, bringing an end to years of legal proceedings following the initial incident during a media conference in Goa. The High Court termed the lower court's 2021 acquittal order as perverse and noted that the original trial had subjected the victim to severe cross-examination and unwarranted…

06 Aug

France Submits Technical and Commercial Proposal for Rs. 3.25 Lakh Crore 114 Rafale Jet Deal

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— In a major development for India's defence acquisition roadmap, French aerospace manufacturer Dassault Aviation has officially submitted its comprehensive technical and commercial proposal to the Ministry of Defence for the procurement of 114 Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft. The bid comes in response to the formal Letter of Request issued by India under a Government-to-Government framework to bolster the Indian Air Force's declining fighter squadron strength. The proposed deal, estimated at approximately Rs. 3.25 lakh crore involves extensive local manufacturing and technology transfer under the 'Make in India' initiative. The submission is currently under rigorous evaluation by…

06 Aug

Lok Sabha Passes Bill Amending Payment Systems Act to Allow Service Charges on Digital Transactions

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaLok Sabha, MDR levy, Nirmala Sitharaman, Payment Systems Act, UPI charges

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing crucial amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007. The statutory change authorises the Union government to permit commercial banks and payment service providers to levy service charges, including Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), on digital payments executed via the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and other notified electronic payment methods. Moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the legislation was passed by voice vote following a brief adjournment. The amendment directly alters Section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007,…

06 Aug

Supreme Court Denies Interim Bail to Asaram, Permits Round-the-Clock Trained Caregiver

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAIIMS report, Asaram Bapu, interim bail, parole, Rajasthan High Court, Supreme Court

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh)— The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to grant interim bail on medical grounds to self-styled godman Asaram, who is serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting a minor at his Jodhpur ashram in 2013. A division bench comprising Justice M.M. Sundresh and Justice P.B. Varale kept his interim bail application pending while allowing him to engage a trained caretaker of his choice to provide 24-hour assistance inside prison. The order was passed after the apex court evaluated a health assessment report submitted by a medical board at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The…

06 Aug

Mohan Bhagwat Advocates Separate Legal Framework for Same-Sex Companionship, Opposes Altering Marriage Institution

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaIIMUN Mumbai, LGBTQ rights, Mohan Bhagwat, RSS Chief, same sex legal framework

Mumbai (Gurpreet Singh) — Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat suggested that society and policymakers consider establishing a distinct legal and social framework to accommodate same-sex companions, while maintaining that the traditional institution of marriage should remain undisturbed. Speaking during an interactive session at the 15th anniversary event of the India International Model United Nations in Mumbai, Bhagwat addressed queries regarding the RSS's stance on LGBTQ+ rights, stating that individuals of diverse sexual orientations are an integral part of society and deserve legal recognition and social acceptance. Clarifying his position, Bhagwat differentiated between providing legal arrangements for cohabitation and redefining…

06 Aug

MCC Revises NEET-SS Round 2 Counselling Timeline After Delhi High Court Direction

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingNEET

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has announced a revised schedule for NEET-SS 2025 Round 2 counselling after the Delhi High Court directed that petitioning candidates be permitted to register and participate in the admission process. In an official notice dated August 5, the MCC stated that it has withdrawn its earlier notification issued on August 3 with immediate effect in compliance with the court's order in Sunil & Another vs Medical Counselling Committee (W.P. (C) No. 11097/2026). As part of the revised process, the committee has decided to keep the resignation portal open until 4 p.m.…