The Bombay High Court on Friday held as unconstitutional and struck down the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules which sought to identify fake and false content on social media against the government. The matter was assigned to Justice A S Chandurkar as 'tie-breaker judge', after a division bench in January delivered a split verdict on the petitions challenging the amended IT rules. Justice Chandurkar on Friday held that the rules violated constitutional provisions. "I have considered the matter extensively. The impugned rules are violative of Article 14 (right to equality), 19 (freedom of speech and expression) and 19(1)(g) (freedom and right to profession) of the Constitution of India," the judge said. The expression "fake, false and misleading" in the Rules was "vague and hence wrong" in the absence of any definition, he added. With this ruling, the high court allowed the petitions filed by stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and others challenging the new rules, including the provision to set up a Fact Checking Unit (FCU) to identify fake or false content about the government. The petitions against the IT Rules were referred to Justice Chandurkar after a division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale delivered a split verdict in January. While Justice Patel struck down the Rules, Justice Gokhale upheld them. Justice Patel had said the Rules amounted to censorship, but Justice Gokhale had opined they did not have any 'chilling effect' on free speech as argued. Justice Chandurkar on Friday said he agreed with the opinion given by Justice Patel (now retired). On April 6, 2023, the Union government promulgated amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, including a provision for an FCU to flag fake, false or misleading online content related to the government. Under the IT Rules, if the FCU comes across any posts that are fake, false, and contain misleading facts about the business of the government, it would flag the same to social media intermediaries. Once such a post is flagged, the intermediary has the option of either taking down the post or putting a disclaimer on the same. In taking the second option, the intermediary loses its safe harbour/immunity and stands liable for legal action. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
20 September,2024 05:42 PM IST | Mumbai | PTIIn a first, a a pack of 10 wild dogs was sighted for the first time in Dongaroli village, located in Mangaon Taluka of Raigad in Maharashtra, approximately 160 kilometers southeast of Mumbai. The pack of wild dogs was sighted on September 18. The remarkable sighting was captured on camera by Daya and Anand Patki, owners of the Dongoroli Bamboo Nursery. Wildlife researcher Shantanu Kuveskar from Mangaon said, "At around 6:15 PM, Daya Patki noticed the wild dogs near their bamboo nursery and immediately contacted me. I urged them to capture a photo as evidence. From a safe distance and without disturbing the animals, the Patkis followed the pack and managed to photograph them in one location. After this, the wild dogs fled into the nearby jungle." Upon inspection of the area, the Patkis found blood and body parts of some animal on the grass, indicating that the dogs had hunted something. Shantanu Kuveskar inquired in Dongaroli village and found that some goats were missing that evening. Initially, the villagers suspected a leopard. However, this incident confirmed that wild dogs were responsible for killing the goats. Kuveskar and the Patki couple searched the surrounding area the next morning but couldn't find the pack. Similar incidents of goats being killed have been reported from nearby villages in recent days. Due to a lack of awareness about wild dogs, locally known as 'kolsunda,' locals often mistake them for leopards, foxes, or stray dogs. "Just two days ago, Anand and I had a discussion about wild dogs, and coincidentally, Anand spotted them the next day. In the past 10 years, I have recorded sightings of wild dogs in various villages of Mangaon Taluka, but without camera traps, photographic evidence was scarce. Wild dogs have been rarely sighted in Govel, a village adjacent to Dongaroli. In recent years, the presence of wild dogs has increased in Raigad district, including Roha, Tala, Murud, Mhasala, Shrivardhan, Mahad, and Mangaon areas. Except for the older generation, locals lack awareness about wild dogs and often overlook them, mistaking them for foxes or stray dogs," said Shantanu Kuveskar. Wild dogs (Dhol) are protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, just like tigers.
20 September,2024 05:11 PM IST | Mumbai | A CorrespondentThe Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday said that the number of polling stations in Mumbai has been increased for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections 2024. In an official statement, the BMC said that in view of the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls and following the directions issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), the polling stations in the Mumbai Metropolitan City (comprising Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban Districts) have been rationalised to facilitate smooth voting for the electorate. "The number of polling stations in Mumbai has now increased to 10,111. Compared to the Lok Sabha 2024, there is an increase of 218 polling stations," the BMC said. It said, the average number of voters per polling station, which previously stood at 1,500, has now been reduced to an average of 1,200 voters per booth. The increase in the number of polling stations will help to enhance the efficiency and pace of the voting process. The statement said, as per the directives from the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commission, the administration is actively preparing for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024. Under the guidance of Bhushan Gagrani, District Election Officer and Municipal Commissioner of BMC. The rationalisation of polling stations has been carried out. In rationalising the polling stations in Mumbai, the average voter number has been set at up to 1,200 per station. The principle has guided the rationalisation of polling station numbers. The polling has been decentralised whenever required, leading to an increase in certain locations compared to the Lok Sabha 2024. In 2024, there were 2,509 polling stations in Mumbai City and 7,384 in Mumbai Suburban. Following the rationalisation, these numbers have increased to 2,537 and 7,574, respectively, resulting in a total of 10,111 polling stations across the Mumbai Metropolitan City (BMC area) - (Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts), the BMC statement said. "To inform voters about the recent changes in polling station locations resulting from the rationalisation, the administration has initiated an awareness campaign titled 'Know Your Polling Station', the officials said on Friday. Under the initiative, staff will visit voters homes to provide details about the changes and the registered voters will receive information in written, they added.
20 September,2024 04:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA BEST (Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) conductor who was attacked by a 20-year-old on a Dharavi bus was allegedly left on a stretcher at Sion hospital overnight and did not get a bed at the medical facility. The allegations have been made by BEST Workers' Sena President Suhas Samant. The bus conductor, identified as Ashok Dagale, suffered injuries serious injuries to his neck, right shoulder, left thigh, and waist following the attack. According to Samant, while Sion hospital authorities administered emergency treatment to the conductor and also ensured that his X-ray was taken, he was not provided a bed following his admission on Thursday night till Friday noon. According to Samant, the hospital authorities informed him that the beds had been taken up for patients on ventilators. The BEST Kamgar Sena President has condemned the developments and expressed his displeasure over the functioning of the Government's Home Department. He also alleged that the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are not focused on the people of Maharashtra, but only on winning the elections. "I understand that the hospital had its compulsions but as the president of the workers' union, I had to ensure that my colleague got a bed in the hospital. When we got to know about the incident on Friday, we immediately intervened and by noon, the conductor was given a bed in the hospital," said Samant. Samant further informed that the conductor has now been admitted to the intensive care unit of Sion Hospital and his condition is stable. Updates: BEST Kamgar Sena President Suhas Samant commented on the incident, stating, "It was only after the news reached the press that the authorities began to acknowledge the situation." Video: Sameer Abedi @myBESTBus#BESTBus #VikhroliDepot #Dharavi #News #Mumbai… https://t.co/tKnvXocX4t pic.twitter.com/gZl72UXvaH — Mid Day (@mid_day) September 20, 2024 The bus conductor has been identified as Ashok Kashinath Dagale. He was operating on BEST bus number MH 01 AP 0324 on the Pydhonie-Vikhroli route. As the bus approached the Yellow Bungalow Corner around 9.05 pm, the accused, Saban Mobin Khan, allegedly attempted to snatch Dagale's money bag. When the 44-year-old conductor resisted, Khan allegedly assaulted him with a knife, inflicting serious injuries to his neck, right shoulder, left thigh, and waist. During the struggle, Khan managed to snatch Dagale's mobile phone, worth around Rs 15,000, and fled the scene, the police said. The police arrested Khan and also recovered the conductor's mobile phone from the accused, the police said.
20 September,2024 04:14 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bombay High Court on Friday raised concerns about the poor manner in which slum redevelopment buildings were constructed in the city, terming these structures as "vertical slums", reported news agency PTI. A division bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Somasekhar Sunderesan said such slum redevelopment buildings were constructed in a congested manner, with no space between them, cutting off ventilation and sunlight. "We are not going to appreciate these vertical slums. Buildings constructed are so congested. No light, no space, no sunlight and no ventilation. This will cause health problems. They (slum dwellers) are better off on grounds encroaching," the court said, reported PTI. The bench called it a serious issue against Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) of the Constitution. The bench was set up last month to undertake a "performance audit" of the Maharashtra Slum Area (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act following directives issued by the Supreme Court, reported PTI. The apex court had raised concerns about the working of the Act. The high court on Friday said there has to be robust implementation of provisions of the Act, citing examples of public housing projects in foreign countries. It noted that the influx of migrant workers in the city will keep increasing, and the authorities cannot adopt a wait-and-watch policy. "Migrant workers come in...work is available, pay is available, but no place to stay. Then they stay in slums. We need to understand that this won't stop. It may only increase. We cannot just wait and watch now," it said, reported PTI. The bench directed all parties concerned to submit their suggestions on the issue, which the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) will look into. The court posted the matter for further hearing on October 15. On July 30, the Supreme Court asked the high court to set up a bench to "initiate suo motu proceedings" to conduct a performance audit of the state slum redevelopment law, noting, "The welfare legislation for the poor is gridlocked and more than 1,600 cases related to the Maharashtra Slum Areas (Improvement, Clearance and Redevelopment) Act are pending before the Bombay High Court." (With inputs from PTI)
20 September,2024 02:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe BMC has stated on Friday that the water levels in Mumbai's seven reservoirs, which supply the city with potable water, have reached 98.55 per cent. Based on data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the combined water stock of the Mumbai lakes stands at 14,26,326 million litres at present, or 98.55 per cent of their capacity. Mumbai gets its water from the Upper and Middle Vaitarnas, Bhatsa, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, and Modak Sagar. The civic body's data on the Mumbai lakes indicates that Tansa's water level is 97.51 per cent. 97.24 per cent of the water stock is accessible at Modak-Sagar. In Middle Vaitarna 98.52 per cent, Upper Vaitarna 99.15 per cent, Bhatsa 98.74 per cent, Vihar 100 per cent and Tulsi 99.66 per cent of useful water level is available. In the wake of heavy rains, one more lake supplying water to Mumbai, Middle Vaitarna Lake, started overflowing on July 4. Lakes Vihar and Modak Sagar began to flood on July 25 due to persistently high rains. Around 4 pm on July 24, Tansa Lake started to overflow, increasing the amount of water stored in all seven reservoirs by 17 days in a single day. Approximately 400 million gallons of water are supplied to Mumbai by Tansa Lake, which is situated in the Shahpur region of Thane. On July 26, 2024, it overflowed. One of the two lakes that directly feed water to the BMC, Tulsi Lake, started to overflow on July 20 at around 8:30 am, mimicking the event that occurred on the same day last year at 1:28 pm, according to the civic body. Mumbai rains: MD forecasts light showers today The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light spells of rainfall in Mumbai on Thursday, as per the latest Mumbai weather update. The meteorological agency has forecast a "Partly cloudy sky with possibility of light rain in the city and its suburbs" for the next 24 hours in its most recent Mumbai weather update. It is anticipated that the city will have a maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius and a low temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. A high tide of about 4.70 metres, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said on Friday, would be hitting Mumbai at 1.02 pm. The civic body also said a low tide of about 0.06 metres is expected at 7.17 pm on Friday.
20 September,2024 11:07 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light spells of rainfall in Mumbai on Friday, as per the latest Mumbai weather update. The meteorological agency has forecast a "Partly cloudy sky with possibility of light rain in the city and its suburbs" for the next 24 hours in its most recent Mumbai weather update. It is anticipated that the city will have a maximum temperature of 32 degrees Celsius and a low temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. A high tide of about 4.70 metres, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said on Friday, would be hitting Mumbai at 1.02 pm. The civic body also said a low tide of about 0.06 metres is expected at 7.17 pm on Friday. Lakes supplying water reached 98.55 pc capacity The BMC had earlier stated on Friday that the water levels in Mumbai's seven reservoirs, which supply the city with potable water, have reached 98.55 per cent. Based on data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the combined water stock of the Mumbai lakes stands at 14,26,326 million litres at present, or 98.55 per cent of their capacity. Mumbai gets its water from the Upper and Middle Vaitarnas, Bhatsa, Tansa, Vihar, Tulsi, and Modak Sagar. The civic body's data on the Mumbai lakes indicates that Tansa's water level is 97.51 per cent. 97.24 per cent of the water stock is accessible at Modak-Sagar. In Middle Vaitarna 98.52 per cent, Upper Vaitarna 99.15 per cent, Bhatsa 98.74 per cent, Vihar 100 per cent and Tulsi 99.66 per cent of useful water level is available. In the wake of heavy rains, one more lake supplying water to Mumbai, Middle Vaitarna Lake, started overflowing on July 4. Lakes Vihar and Modak Sagar began to flood on July 25 due to persistently high rains. Around 4 pm on July 24, Tansa Lake started to overflow, increasing the amount of water stored in all seven reservoirs by 17 days in a single day. Approximately 400 million gallons of water are supplied to Mumbai by Tansa Lake, which is situated in the Shahpur region of Thane. On July 26, 2024, it overflowed. One of the two lakes that directly feed water to the BMC, Tulsi Lake, started to overflow on July 20 at around 8:30 am, mimicking the event that occurred on the same day last year at 1:28 pm, according to the civic body.
20 September,2024 10:58 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAccording to sources from AAI, starting from October 27, 2024, Pune International Airport will begin operating daily flights to Dubai and thrice-weekly flights to Bangkok. This new development is set to boost the international connectivity of Pune and the surrounding regions of Western Maharashtra, offering residents more convenient options for travel to key international destinations. Murlidhar Mohol, the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, confirmed the development and also expressed his enthusiasm for the enhanced air travel options. “Punekars and people of Western Maharashtra will benefit from this enhanced connectivity for their international journey,” he said, emphasizing the significance of these routes in facilitating both business and leisure travel. Good news for Punekars; Two new international flights! Delighted to announce that 27th October 2024 onwards, Pune-Dubai-Pune (daily) and Pune-Bangkok-Pune flights (thrice a week) will be operational from Pune International Airport. Punekars & people of Western Maharashtra… pic.twitter.com/i3zEPzqzRb — Murlidhar Mohol (@mohol_murlidhar) September 19, 2024 "The daily Pune-Dubai flight is expected to attract a large number of passengers, particularly business travellers and tourists, given Dubai’s status as a global hub. This will also reduce the passenger strain on Mumbai airport as earlier, passengers from western Maharashtra used to travel to Mumbai via road, train or flight just to board the Mumbai-Dubai sector," said an industry analyst from MoCA. "The thrice-weekly Pune-Bangkok flight will cater to tourists seeking to explore the Southeast Asian market which will also reduce the passenger load on Mumbai Airport," the analyst added.
20 September,2024 10:26 AM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariApple unveiled the iPhone 16 series on September 9, and the tech giant has now begun selling the new-generation iPhones in India. Enthusiasm for the new models is high, with various outlets across the country experiencing long queues of eager customers. A visual from the Apple Store in Mumbai's BKC shows a large crowd gathered to purchase the iPhone 16. A huge crowd gathered outside the Apple store at Mumbai's BKC, visibly excited to purchase the new iPhone 16, which boasts advanced features that enhance user-friendliness. The iPhone 16 Pro and its larger counterpart, the iPhone 16 Pro Max, both feature Apple's largest-ever displays, measuring 6.3 inches for the Pro and an impressive 6.9 inches for the Pro Max. These devices also showcase the thinnest borders ever seen on an Apple product, along with the advanced Always-On 120Hz ProMotion display technology. A customer, Ujjwal Shah, who came to purchase the newly launched iPhone 16, told ANI, "I have been standing in the queue for the last 21 hours. I’ve been here since 11 AM yesterday, and I will be the first one to enter the store today at 8 AM. I’m very excited... The atmosphere in Mumbai for this phone is absolutely electric... Last year, I stood in the queue for 17 hours." Another buyer, Akshay, told ANI, "I arrived at 6 AM and purchased the iPhone 16 Pro Max. I really like iOS 18, and the zoom camera quality has improved significantly. I came from Surat." Long queues were also seen outside the Apple store in Delhi's Saket. The iPhone 16 series comprises the iPhone 16 (base model), iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The iPhone 16 Pro comes in an array of striking colours, including Dark Black Titanium, Bright White Titanium, Natural Titanium, and the new Desert Titanium. Notably, it promises the best battery life ever seen in an iPhone, thanks to optimized power management and larger batteries. The camera system is equally impressive, with a 48MP fusion camera featuring a 2nd-generation quad-pixel sensor and zero shutter lag. The new 48MP ultra-wide camera and a 5x telephoto lens with a 120mm focal length enhance the photographic capabilities, while Camera Control offers versatile options for capturing the perfect shot. New photographic styles allow real-time adjustments to colours and shadows, making each photo unique. On the video front, the iPhone 16 Pro supports 4K120 capture, enabling cinematic-quality recording with frame-by-frame colour grading in Dolby Vision. The device also features enhanced spatial audio capture, offering an immersive experience when viewed with AirPods or Apple Vision Pro. (With inputs from ANI)
20 September,2024 10:11 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Mahalaxmi racecourse will allow a whopping 18 lakh square feet of area for construction in South Mumbai as the BMC proposed 1.33 FSI over the area of 211 acres of open space. The redevelopment of the racecourse has been a talking point for the last few years due to the massive open space and the construction of FSI. As the BMC published a notification inviting suggestions and objections for the proposed modification for the redevelopment of the Mahalaxmi racecourse, it is revealed how much area will be available to construct due to the massive space available at the Mahalaxmi racecourse. Zoru Bathena, an activist raised the que8over the massive use of FSI. "This means, the turf club RWITC can reconstruct their stand or clubhouse into a multistorey building. Using the entire FSI paves the way for a skyscraper." The users are permissible for development or redevelopment will be clubhouses, restaurants, stands, viewing decks, swimming pools, banquet, small departmental stores, conference rooms, and Gymnasium with indoor and outdoor sports like squash, badminton, billiards, table tennis, cricket nets, box cricket, football turf, pickleball and allied users such as security cabin, staff quarters etc and other compatible users as decided by the Municipal Commissioner. Out of 211 acres, (acres), Public Park/Theme Park is proposed on 29.4 acres area. Development stipulation in another 1.96 acres. Existing Amenity of Recreation Ground EOS(2.6) will remain unchanged on 77 acres of the land. The existing Mahalaxmi Racecourse Horse Stable will be in 26.32 acres of land. The existing Mahalaxmi Racetrack will cover 34.12 acres. The existing Mahalaxmi Club/Gymkhana will be on 32.17 acres where they can use the FSI.
20 September,2024 10:00 AM IST | Mumbai | Prajakta KasaleA 67-year-old man, identified as Kushal Dand, tragically took his own life after allegedly being threatened with a false rape accusation. According to the police, Dand was found dead on the railway tracks near Mulund station. He had left home to buy milk but never returned, prompting his family to start searching for him. They later received a call from the railway police informing them of his death. The police revealed that Dand had been involved in a dispute with the woman, a resident of the same building. Dand had been temporarily assigned the same parking spot as the woman, leading to a verbal altercation between the two. It is alleged that she threatened to falsely accuse Dand of rape, which may have contributed to his tragic decision. Both the woman and Dand resided in Manisha Pride Housing Society.
20 September,2024 09:52 AM IST | Mumbai | Apoorva AgasheADVERTISEMENT
