National News
SC defers plea for verification of EVMs used in Haryana polls; hearing on Feb 11
New Delhi, Jan 24: The Supreme Court on Friday deferred hearing on a plea filed by Congress leaders seeking verification of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) used during the Haryana Assembly polls.
A Bench headed by Justices Dipankar Datta and Manmohan said that a Special Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Datta will hear the batch of petitions relating to verification of EVMs and allied issues on February 11 in terms of the previous order.
Earlier on December 20, for the second time in a row, a Bench of CJI Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar opined that the plea seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to lay down a memorandum for the checking and verification of the original burnt memory/microcontroller of the four components of the EVM should be taken up for hearing by a Bench comprising Justice Datta in January 2025.
Before this, a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and P.B. Varale opined that the fresh plea should be placed before the same Bench which had passed directions on EVMs in April 2024.
The Justice Nath-led Bench said that the fresh petition related to the interpretation and implementation of the previous judgment of the apex court and therefore, the registry should place the papers before the CJI, who is the master of the roster, for passing appropriate orders as to whether the petition should be listed before the previous Bench.
In order to strengthen the integrity of the election process in the country, a Bench of Justices Khanna (now CJI) and Datta, in April 2024, passed a direction for checking and verification of the burnt memory/microcontroller in 5 per cent of EVMs for any tampering or modification on a written request made by candidates securing second and third highest votes in an election.
The checking and verification exercise was directed to be undertaken by a team of engineers from the manufacturers of the EVMs, with the candidates and their representatives having the option to remain present at the time of such an exercise, it said.
The latest petition, filed by Karan Singh Dalal, a former five-time Congress MLA, said that the ECI has not issued any procedure for checking and verification of the original burnt memory/microcontroller of the four components of the EVM (Control Unit, Ballot Unit, VVPAT and Symbol Loading Unit) in terms of the SC judgment.
The plea sought directions to the poll body to lay down a memorandum for checking and verification of the original burnt memory/microcontroller of the four components of the EVM.
It further sought that the above exercise be undertaken within eight weeks and be made applicable to the EVM checking and verification forms dated October 14, 2024, submitted to the ECI.
The petition, filed through advocate Neha Rathi, said the issue raised in the petition requires to be authoritatively decided by the apex court owing to significant public importance and ramifications across the country.
“The matter affects the functioning of democracy in the country and elections being held across the country in various states, and therefore needs to be urgently and authoritatively decided,” it said.
The absence of any procedure for verification of burnt memory for tampering shows reluctance on the part of the ECI to subject the original burnt memory microcontroller to any scrutiny whatsoever, the petition contended.
Crime
MMRDA declares airport-adjacent structure illegal; Kirit Somaiya demands immediate demolition

Mumbai, Sep 10: Tensions have escalated near Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Terminal 2) after the Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) confirmed that a religious structure operating near the high-security zone lacks statutory planning permissions and is unauthorised.
Former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirit Somaiya has alleged a deliberate attempt at unauthorised land occupation — characterising the structure as “Land Jihad” — and has pressed state authorities and site operators to initiate criminal action against the trustees and individuals responsible.
Following complaints regarding unauthorised construction near sensitive airport land, MMRDA verified that no official approvals, building sanctions, or permissions were ever granted for the religious structure.
MMRDA has issued formal notices to Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) directing the immediate removal and demolition of the unauthorised structure to ensure the perimeter remains clear.
Somaiya has formally requested both MMRDA and MIAL to go beyond physical clearance by registering a First Information Report (FIR) against the managing trustees and individuals associated with the illegal construction.
The controversy highlights ongoing scrutiny surrounding unauthorised encroachments adjacent to critical national infrastructure. Officials note that unregulated structures near VIP corridors, taxi parking lanes, and terminal facilities pose significant security hazards.
The matter aligns with previous judicial observations where courts have emphasised that public safety and secure zones near international hubs supersede unauthorised religious claims or structures erected without explicit administrative approvals.
Authorities from MIAL and local police departments are currently reviewing directives provided by MMRDA regarding execution steps and necessary security arrangements during the scheduled clearance drive.
Crime
Priyanka Gandhi office warns against her deepfake videos asking people to invest money

New Delhi, Sep 10: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday urged people to stay cautious of misleading and fabricated videos allegedly featuring her and asked them not to fall prey to fraudulent and deceitful calls for investment in real estate projects or any other futuristic ventures.
Priyanka Gandhi’s office flagged the issue after her deepfake videos surfaced and were seen in circulation on multiple social media platforms.
It has urged the Congress leader’s followers and others to neither click on those posts nor give consent to any requests made in the AI-generated video.
Issuing a formal scam alert on Instagram, Priyanka Gandhi’s office warned the public against fake, AI-generated videos that have apparently used her face and voice to cheat the people and hoodwink them into fraudulent investments.
“Fake videos using AI-generated images and voice of Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ji is circulating on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms asking people to invest money,” Cong MP’s office informed on its Insta handle.
“These are scams. Please do not click or invest,” it further said.
The Congress MP also asked the people to block such posts at the first instance and also report them to the relevant authorities for suitable action.
Such scams using deepfake and AI-generated videos of famous personalities have mushroomed in the past few years, making many gullible investors prone to huge financial losses.
A deepfake video is made by using AI to simulate a person’s face and voice, making it a facsimile copy of the target.
The scammers distort and misuse the cutting-edge technology to generate misleading videos, featuring unauthorised images of prominent figures and then try to rob people of their money.
In the recent past, deepfake videos of industrialists like Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani also surfaced, where the online scammers and fraudsters used AI-doctored videos to lure citizens into fraudulent investment traps, leading to huge losses to investors.
National News
Jammu Municipal Corporation demolishes 20 shops in Satwati area

Jammu, Sep 10: Jammu Municipal Corporation officials on Thursday demolished 20 shops in Satwati area of the city even as the shopkeepers alleged that no prior notice was served to them.
Reports said the Jammu Municipal Corporation today demolished around 20 shops at Satwari Chowk, triggering anger among shopkeepers who alleged that the decades old commercial establishments were demolished without any prior information or notification.
The shops, according to the affected shopkeepers, had been operating at the location for around 50 years, with the occupants claiming that they had been regularly paying monthly rent to the municipal authorities.
Angry shopkeepers alleged that the demolition was carried out without giving them adequate notice or information, leaving them with little opportunity to remove their belongings or make alternative arrangements. The action comes against the backdrop of the long-pending issue of rehabilitation of shopkeepers affected by development works in the Satwari area.
The UT Cabinet had earlier approved a rehabilitation and resettlement scheme for shopkeepers and open-space kiosks affected by road widening at Nai Basti, Satwari Chowk.
A Jammu Municipal Corporation official, however, said that the affected shopkeepers would be relocated to another site within six months.
The assurance has failed to convince the affected traders, who said they had heard assurances of rehabilitation earlier as well, but continued to face uncertainty over their livelihood. The issue of rehabilitation of Satwari shopkeepers has been raised repeatedly by traders’ bodies.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has previously stated that affected shopkeepers had been paying rent to the municipal authorities and had sought alternate sites and rehabilitation.
Shopkeepers affected by the Jammu Municipal Corporation actions argue that relocation promises are uncertain and have demanded immediate financial compensation.
In June 2026, Jammu Development Authority (JDA) cleared over 30 illegal structures near the Jammu railway station, reclaiming state land valued at Rs 10 crore.
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