Latest news with #Sahyog
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Solicitor general creates fake ‘Supreme Court of Karnataka' X account to prove misinformation point, deletes later
Bengaluru/New Delhi : Solicitor general Tushar Mehta created a fake X account named 'Supreme Court of Karnataka' and presented it to the Karnataka high court on Friday to demonstrate online misinformation risks — only to have the platform suspend the fictional handle by the time the hearing ended. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. (File Photo) Mehta handed his mobile phone to justice M Nagaprasanna to show the fake account, complete with the court's photograph and official-looking handle, arguing it proved how easily false content could spread online. 'We have opened one account in the name of Supreme Court of Karnataka. And Twitter (X) has opened that account. And it is a verified account by Twitter (X)... now I can post anything in that, and lakhs and lakhs of people who view that account will say Supreme Court of Karnataka has said this,' Mehta told the court. The demonstration was meant to underscore the need for stronger government oversight of social media platforms. In response, X Corp's counsel, senior advocate KG Raghavan, questioned the propriety of creating fake handles without officially placing them on record. Then, as the two-hour hearing concluded, Raghavan announced X had already suspended the fictional account. 'Just to end on a good note, that account has been suspended. We are a responsible organisation,' Raghavan told the court, much to the amusement of the bench. He also clarified that contrary to the solicitor general's claim, the account was not verified by X. Mehta clarified the account was 'purely representational' for 'demonstrative purposes' with no posts made from it, but used the episode to advance broader arguments about user anonymity and platform accountability. 'If a user posts illegal content and is anonymous, who will the aggrieved party sue? X Corp has no officers in India except a grievance officer. Where is the accountability?' he asked. The courtroom drama unfolded during X's legal challenge to the Union government's Sahyog portal, which the company calls a 'censorship portal' that bypasses constitutional safeguards. X argues the portal allows thousands of government officials to issue content takedown orders without proper oversight. Mehta criticised X for resisting Indian regulatory frameworks while complying with local laws elsewhere. 'All other intermediaries have joined the Sahyog portal. Only X Corp has refused. They object to even a non-binding mechanism,' he said. The government has revealed that 38 intermediaries including Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Telegram have joined the portal, with Meta currently testing integration. X remains the most prominent holdout. The government created Sahyog portal to handle notices under Section 79(3)(b) for quick action against illegal online content. The portal is meant to streamline the process by allowing a number of authorised officials— at the state and central levels — to dispatch notices to intermediaries who are onboarded onto the platform. The solicitor general also challenged X's fundamental right to bring the case, arguing the platform lacked legal standing as a foreign company not incorporated in India. The government contended that constitutional protections under Articles 14, 19, and 21 extend primarily to Indian citizens and, in certain cases, to entities incorporated within the country. Additionally, Mehta dismissed X's free speech arguments, contending the platform cannot invoke constitutional protections since it claims to be merely an intermediary. 'They say they are not speakers or authors of the posts, only intermediaries. If that is true, how can they invoke free speech rights?' he asked. The case stems from X's March petition challenging the government's directive mandating social media platforms join the Sahyog portal. The company argues the government is creating parallel blocking mechanisms under Section 79(3)(b) that bypass safeguards required under Section 69A, which the Supreme Court upheld in the landmark Shreya Singhal case. X has previously objected to what its lawyers called takedown orders from 'every Tom, Dick, and Harry' government official, drawing sharp criticism from government representatives. The Karnataka High Court will hear the case next on July 25, when X will file its rejoinder submissions.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Centre creates fake ‘Supreme Court of Karnataka' account to demonstrate ease of social media misuse
The Central government on Friday (July 18, 2025) presented before the High Court of Karnataka a fake social media account, created by its officials on social media platform X in the name of 'Supreme Court of Karnataka' — an institution that does not exist — to demonstrate how easily such accounts can be created and misused. The account, which was verified by X, was created solely for demonstrative purposes, Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta clarified to the court while showing the account on a mobile phone. 'We have opened one account in the name of 'Supreme Court of Karnataka'... and X has also verified the account. Now I can post anything in that account and lakhs and lakhs of people who view that will say that Supreme Court of Karnataka has said this... and I can remain anonymous,' Mr. Mehta said. The submission was made before Justice M. Nagaprasanna during the hearing of a petition filed by X Corp. (formerly Twitter Inc.), which has challenged blocking orders issued by Central and State authorities under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. The platform has alleged that these actions bypass safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court. 'Censorship portal' The petition also raises objections to the Central government's new 'Sahyog' portal, describing it as a 'censorship portal' that enables government agencies to issue blocking orders using a pre-approved template. Senior advocate K.G. Raghavan, appearing for X, objected to the presentation of the fake account without placing any related material formally on record. The judge, however, noted that the Centre was attempting to show how easily such accounts can be created on intermediary platforms. Mr. Mehta further clarified that the account had not been used and remained inactive, as it would have entered the public domain otherwise. He added that the intention was only to demonstrate the potential misuse of any social media platform, not just X. 'Account suspended' Following the conclusion of Mr. Mehta's arguments defending the Sahyog portal and the blocking orders, Mr. Raghavan informed the court that the fake account titled 'Supreme Court of Karnataka' had now been suspended. He reiterated that X is 'a responsible business house'.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
AIIMS Rajkot gets state's first Bhishma cube unit
Rajkot: AIIMS Rajkot has received a unit of the Bhishma cube system (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri), a portable hospital essential for providing emergency medical services during disasters. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This is the first cube Gujarat has received on Tuesday and the medical fraternity and district administration were given a demonstration on its use. Doctors said the cube could prove critical during disasters such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones, fires and wars. It can be transported by helicopter, parachute or other means and deployed in disaster-hit areas. The cube comprises tents, including an OPD and a minor surgery operation theatre, and is equipped with a portable oxygen machine, operating table, medicines, X-ray machine and other critical equipment. It is operated using solar panels or a generator. Dr G D Puri, director of AIIMS, said, "Bhishma will be very helpful in saving lives during disasters when immediate medical care is needed." The demonstration and workshop were held under the leadership of retired Vice Air Marshal Dr Tanmay Roy for the medical fraternity and officials from the collector's office, police department, fire brigade, State Disaster Response Force, Rajkot Municipal Corporation, Rajkot Civil Hospital and Airport authority. Lt Col Ankur Pratap Sinh, deputy director of AIIMS Rajkot, said, "This is the first unit allotted to Gujarat. It is supported by specialized software which will allow users to operate in various languages." Doctors said the system is capable of 10-15 basic surgeries and emergency care to 200 patients each day. Dr Puri added, "It will be a vital asset in case of mass casualties." The unit will be deployed as directed by the govt, with a team of doctors and paramedics, in disaster-affected areas from AIIMS Rajkot. The cube was developed under Project Arogya Maitri, India's initiative to support domestic emergencies and international humanitarian missions.
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
AIIMS Nagpur Showcases BHISHM Cube: A Game-Changer for Disaster Medical Response
1 2 3 4 5 6 Nagpur: AIIMS Nagpur on Friday demonstrated the Bhishm (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita, and Maitri) Cube System—a revolutionary mobile medical unit designed for rapid deployment during disasters—at a workshop attended by health officials, emergency responders, and medical students. The Bhishm Cube System consists of sturdy frames holding 72 aluminium mini-cubes, each packed with essential medical supplies, including medicines, surgical instruments, IV fluids, and water-resistant tents. These cubes can be quickly deployed via helicopters, aircraft, or even parachute drops into affected areas. "Bhishm represents India's commitment to saving lives swiftly and efficiently during crises," said Dr Prashant P Joshi, executive director and CEO of AIIMS Nagpur, after formally inaugurating the demonstration. The system is supported by a tablet loaded with specialised software capable of guiding users in 180 languages, along with RFID-enabled inventory tracking. The Bhishm Cube is robust enough to perform 10–15 basic surgeries a day and provide emergency care for around 200 patients, making it a vital asset during mass casualty incidents. Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Dr Tanmay Roy led the demonstration, explaining how the cubes can be transformed into functional field hospitals within minutes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Get ₹2Cr life cover@ ₹700 p.m. ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo The event was attended by several dignitaries, including ACP Shalini Sharma, Ganesh Kharatmal (chief fire officer, Mihan), Ankush Gawande (district disaster management officer), Dr Mrunal Pathak (dean, academic), Dr Siddharth Dubhashi (head of general surgery), Dr Nilesh Nagdeve (medical superintendent), Dr Mahendra Chauhan (head of trauma and emergency), and Dr Vivek Kumar (nodal officer). Dr Chauhan said the system will significantly strengthen disaster preparedness in Maharashtra. "Our goal is to train teams who can deploy these cubes rapidly when emergencies strike," he added. Developed under Project Aarogya Maitri, Bhishm is part of India's initiative to support not only domestic emergencies but also international humanitarian missions. The project aims to extend critical medical assistance to developing countries affected by natural or man-made disasters. What is the BHISHM Cube? 36 mini cubes form one Mother Cube Two Mother Cubes = 1 Bhishm Cube Capacity: Treats nearly 200 patients Performs 10-15 basic surgeries daily Weight: Each mini cube ~20 kg, portable by a single person. Contents: Medicines, surgical tools, tents, and life-saving supplies. Transport: Deployable by air, land, sea—even drones. Tech Edge: RFID tracking, real-time inventory, app guidance in 180 languages. Self-sufficiency: Can generate power and oxygen for limited periods.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Govt bypassing safeguards under law to order content takedown: X tells HC
Microblogging platform X Corp said on Friday that the Indian government is using a 'smart and ingenious workaround' to avoid the legal safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court in a 2015 order with respect to take down of content or blocking of social media would the Indian government follow the lengthy and complicated procedure of safeguards provided under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act when an easy path via Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules and the Sahyog Portal is available to issue content takedown notices, the company asked the Karnataka High Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter, has petitioned the high court challenging the way the government issues orders to take down union home ministry had developed the Sahyog portal to automate the process of sending notices to counsel KG Raghavan, appearing for X, said Rule 3(1)(d) effectively seeks to undo the apex court ruling in the 2015 Shreya Singhal case and must be struck down, because it undermines the safeguards provided in Section 69A of the IT Section 69A, content can be blocked only in the interest of sovereignty, security, public order, or similar grounds listed in Article 19(2) that deals with the fundamental right to freedom of speech expression. The process requires an inter-ministerial committee to review the request and provides affected parties an opportunity to be heard (except in emergencies), and records written reasons for the blocking noted that both Section 69A and Section 79 are administered by the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY), but only Section 69A includes procedural safeguards like an inter-ministerial committee, written orders and judicial of following that, he said, MeitY has chosen the easy path, using Rule 3(1)(d) to issue notices without statutory also questioned the legal validity of the Sahyog Portal. According to Raghavan, there is no notification or statutory provision authorising the portal's creation, yet intermediaries are being told to onboard via letters from government next hearing is on July 17 when the government will present its industry body Digipub, which represents 92 digital-first publishers and journalists, also made submissions supporting X's argued that the distinction between online and offline media cannot be used as a blanket justification to sidestep to it, the government has turned Section 79 (3)(b) of the IT Act, an exemption provision, into an empowerment provision, which neither the language of the Act nor the Rules support.'The creation of such a regime is, in itself, arbitrary,' Digipub submitted.
