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The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 seeks to strengthen India's anti-cheating law by introducing stricter penalties, fast-track courts, enhanced cybersecurity and greater accountability for examination authorities. The proposed reforms aim to curb paper leaks, dismantle organised cheating networks and restore public confidence in competitive examinations. By Mahima Katal Seeking to reinforce the integrity of public examinations, the Union government on Monday tabled the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha. Introduced by Minister of State for DoPT Jitendra Singh, the proposed legislation aims to strengthen the existing anti-cheating law through tougher punishments, faster trials and stricter accountability for examination authorities. The proposed amendment goes beyond increasing punishments. It seeks to improve the security of public examinations through faster investigations, stronger institutional accountability, better digital safeguards and quicker prosecution of offences. If enacted, the law is expected to have significant implications for students, coaching centres, examination authorities and service providers associated with public examinations. Why the Amendment Has Been Proposed The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was enacted to criminalise unfair practices in public examinations. However, repeated incidents of paper leaks in recruitment examinations and entrance tests, culminating in the NEET-UG 2026 controversy, exposed weaknesses in enforcement and investigation. Several recruitment examinations have had to be cancelled or postponed over the past few years due to allegations of organised cheating and question paper leaks, causing hardship to lakhs of candidates and delaying appointments. The proposed amendment seeks to strengthen the existing law by making investigations faster, punishments stricter and examination agencies more accountable. Key Changes Proposed One of the most significant proposals is the establishment of special fast-track courts to deal exclusively with paper leak and examination fraud cases. The objective is to ensure that investigations and trials are completed within a reasonable time so that recruitment and admission processes are not indefinitely delayed. The amendment also seeks to enhance punishments for individuals and organised criminal syndicates involved in examination fraud. By imposing harsher imprisonment terms and higher financial penalties, the government aims to create a stronger deterrent against paper leaks and organised cheating. Recognising that examination fraud is often carried out by organised criminal networks rather than isolated individuals, the proposed legislation strengthens provisions relating to investigation and prosecution of such syndicates. It seeks to cover offences such as question paper leaks, impersonation, candidate substitution, digital hacking and other forms of examination fraud carried out for financial gain. Another important feature of the amendment is its emphasis on digital security. The government proposes stronger cybersecurity measures, including encrypted handling and transmission of question papers, secure digital infrastructure and enhanced protection of confidential examination data. These measures are intended to reduce vulnerabilities before examinations are conducted. The amendment also introduces greater accountability for examination authorities, service providers and officials responsible for maintaining the integrity of public examinations. Institutions found negligent in ensuring examination security may face legal consequences. Existing Legal Framework The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 already contains several stringent provisions aimed at preventing examination malpractice. The law defines unfair means broadly to include question paper leaks, unauthorised access to answer keys, impersonation, tampering with computer systems, manipulation of merit lists, fake examination websites, fraudulent admit card schemes and assisting candidates through illegal means. Individuals found guilty of such offences may face imprisonment ranging from three to five years along with a fine of up to ₹10 lakh. The Act also places strict liability on service providers such as technology vendors, printing agencies and infrastructure partners involved in conducting examinations. If found responsible for security breaches, they may be fined up to ₹1 crore, required to bear the cost of re-conducting examinations and barred from participating in public examinations for four years. Senior officials, directors and managers who knowingly participate in examination fraud may face imprisonment ranging from three to ten years and fines up to ₹1 crore. The law further classifies organised paper leak syndicates as organised crime, punishable with imprisonment between five and ten years and a minimum fine of ₹1 crore. The proposed amendment is expected to strengthen these provisions further. Institutions and commercial coaching centres found involved in organised cheating may also face attachment of property, forfeiture of assets and recovery of costs incurred in conducting fresh examinations. All offences under the Act are cognisable, non-bailable and non-compoundable. Investigations are required to be conducted by police officers not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police, with provision for transferring appropriate cases to central investigating agencies such as the CBI. Impact on Students For students, the amendment is intended to ensure a fairer and more transparent examination system. If effectively implemented, it could reduce the incidence of paper leaks, strengthen merit-based selection and minimise repeated cancellation of examinations. Candidates may, however, witness stricter identity verification procedures and enhanced security measures at examination centres as authorities seek to prevent impersonation and other forms of malpractice. Impact on Coaching Centres The proposed law sends a strong message to coaching institutes and commercial establishments that facilitate organised cheating or examination fraud. While legitimate coaching institutions are unlikely to be affected, organisations found participating in paper leak networks or assisting organised cheating may face criminal prosecution, attachment of property and recovery of financial losses arising from cancelled examinations. Impact on Examination Authorities The amendment also places greater responsibility on examination bodies such as the National Testing Agency and various recruitment agencies. Authorities may be required to strengthen cybersecurity infrastructure, improve encryption systems, adopt secure question paper management protocols, conduct regular security audits and maintain comprehensive digital audit trails. Greater coordination with law enforcement agencies is also expected to become an integral part of examination administration. Challenges in Implementation Although the proposed amendment strengthens the legal framework, its effectiveness will ultimately depend on implementation. Organised criminal syndicates involved in paper leaks continue to adopt increasingly sophisticated methods. Insider involvement remains difficult to detect, while evolving cybersecurity threats require continuous technological upgrades. Effective coordination between central agencies, state governments, police authorities and examination bodies will be essential. The success of fast-track courts will also depend upon adequate judicial capacity and timely investigations. At the same time, authorities will have to ensure that genuine candidates are not unfairly inconvenienced during investigations or re-examinations. Conclusion The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026 represents one of the government's strongest legislative responses to recurring examination scandals in recent years. Alongside the recently announced Nandan Nilekani-led task force on examination reforms, it reflects a broader effort to rebuild confidence in India's public examination system through stronger laws and improved technology. Whether these reforms succeed will depend not only on the severity of punishments prescribed by law but also on consistent enforcement, institutional accountability and the ability of authorities to stay ahead of organised examination fraud. For millions of students whose academic and professional futures depend on competitive examinations, the credibility of the examination system remains the ultimate measure of success.

Mirabai Chanu Commonwealth Games: Mirabai Chanu's record-breaking gold, combined with silver medals from Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi, highlighted India's strength in weightlifting once again. Boxing also offered encouraging signs, with Jadumani Singh and Preeti Pawar moving within one win of a guaranteed medal. By Pranjal Gupta New Delhi, July 26: The echo of Indian national anthem at the Commonwealth Games in Glassgow brought tears into the eyes of Mirabai Chanu, who won India's first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the 48kg category. With Chanu, boxing athletes, Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi, brought home two silver medals. After the historic win, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the athletes for their best efforts to make India proud. Mirabai Chanu Wins Gold with a Record Performance Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu once again proved why she is regarded as one of India's finest weightlifters. The 31-year-old from Manipur won her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal in the women's 48kg category. She lifted a total of 190kg, made up of 85kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk. Her performance broke both the Commonwealth and Commonwealth Games records. Mirabai recovered well after missing her opening attempts in both lifts. Once she had secured the gold medal and broken the records, she decided not to attempt her final clean and jerk lift, choosing to avoid unnecessary strain with the Asian Games approaching. Mirabai Chanu Commonwealth Games: Mirabai Chanu powers India to its first Commonwealth Games gold, while Achinta Sheuli and Wangjam Dilip Singh add two silvers to India's medal haul. She finished a remarkable 22kg ahead of Nigeria's Ruth Asuquo Nyong, who claimed the silver medal. A Patriotic Tribute Before the Competition Mirabai's performance was made even more memorable by a personal gesture before the event. She wore butterfly-shaped hair clips made from ribbons in the colours of the Indian flag. She later revealed that she had made them herself the previous night as a way of showing her love for the country. "I wanted to do something for India, so I made these butterfly clips with Indian flag-coloured ribbons." The emotional moments continued after the competition. As she stood on the podium while India's national anthem played, Mirabai struggled to hold back tears. She described them as tears of happiness after winning India's first gold medal of the Games and thanked people across the country for their support and prayers. Rishikanta Singh Fights Through Injury to Win Silver Rishikanta Singh won the silver medal in the men's 60kg weightlifting event after a determined performance despite carrying a knee injury. He equalled the Commonwealth Games record in the snatch with a lift of 121kg and entered the clean and jerk in first place. However, his injured knee affected him during the second phase of the competition. He managed only 143kg in the clean and jerk, finishing with a total of 264kg. Malaysia's Mohamad Aniq Kasdan overtook him by producing a Games record clean and jerk lift of 152kg, giving him a winning total of 273kg. Speaking after the event, Rishikanta said he had travelled to win gold but his injury prevented him from producing his best lifts. Even so, he made history by becoming the first male weightlifter from Manipur to win a Commonwealth Games medal. Raja Muthupandi Adds Another Silver India's excellent day in weightlifting continued when Raja Muthupandi secured the silver medal in the men's 65kg category. He lifted 126kg in the snatch and 160kg in the clean and jerk for a combined total of 286kg. Malaysia's Muhamad Aznil Bin Bidin won the gold with a Games record total of 299kg, while Papua New Guinea's Morea Baru claimed bronze with 282kg. With these results, India earned a medal in all three weightlifting events held that day.

New Delhi, July 27: Sonam Wangchuk's month-long stay in the national capital came full circle on Monday. Hours after being discharged from Medanta Hospital in Gurugram, the climate activist made one final stop before returning to Ladakh - not at a political office or a press conference, but at Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi. "Thank you Bapu," Wangchuk wrote after paying tribute to the Father of the Nation, adding that Gandhi's path "remains as relevant today as 100 years ago." It was not merely a symbolic farewell. Exactly a month earlier, on June 27, Wangchuk had begun his Delhi campaign at the same place before joining students protesting alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including the NEET paper leak. By beginning and ending his movement at Rajghat, Wangchuk framed his protest not just as a political campaign, but as a Gandhian satyagraha rooted in moral persuasion, sacrifice and non-violence. Sonam Wangchuk pays tribute at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial with his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, before departing for Ladakh. (Source: X/Sonam Wangchuk) More Than a Hunger Strike For 26 days, Wangchuk refused food, demanding accountability over recurring examination paper leaks and justice for students driven to despair by repeated cancellations and uncertainty. While the movement was centred on education reforms, its methods echoed Gandhi's politics of conscience rather than confrontation. Instead of calling for aggressive mobilisation, Wangchuk repeatedly urged students to remain peaceful. Even after his supporters faced police action during the "Chalo Sansad" march, he appealed for restraint and refused to let the movement descend into violence. Sonam Wangchuk during his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar with Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke. (Image Source: X/Abhijeet Dipke) That approach reflected one of Gandhi's central beliefs - that the strength of a movement lies not in the suffering inflicted on opponents but in the willingness of protesters to endure suffering themselves. The Power of Moral Pressure Unlike many contemporary protests driven by slogans, social media campaigns or political mobilisation, Wangchuk relied on personal sacrifice as his principal instrument of persuasion. His fast continued even after he was shifted from the protest site at Jantar Mantar to Safdarjung Hospital following a deterioration in his health. Later, after concerns raised by his wife before the Delhi High Court, he was transferred to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. Even while hospitalised, Wangchuk initially refused to break his fast, insisting that the government respond meaningfully to the concerns raised by students rather than merely addressing his medical condition. A resting area prepared for Sonam Wangchuk after Delhi Police shifted him to hospital despite his refusal to end his hunger strike. (Image Source: X/CJP) His hunger strike eventually ended after Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Dr. Jitendra Singh provided written assurances regarding discussions on education reforms and safeguards for peaceful student protesters. Rajghat Was No Coincidence Rajghat has long occupied a unique place in India's democratic tradition. Political leaders across ideological divides have visited Gandhi's memorial before launching major campaigns, invoking his ideals of truth, non-violence and democratic dissent. For Wangchuk, however, Rajghat became more than a ceremonial backdrop. It served as both the beginning and the conclusion of his movement, turning the protest into a symbolic journey anchored in Gandhian values. His decision to return there after ending his fast suggested that the campaign was never intended as merely a battle against examination irregularities. It was also an attempt to remind a generation of students that peaceful resistance can remain a powerful instrument of democratic engagement. A Youth Movement with a Gandhian Soul The protest soon grew beyond Wangchuk himself. Thousands of students, parents and supporters joined demonstrations demanding accountability over recurring paper leaks. Even after Wangchuk was hospitalised, organisers of the "Chalo Sansad" march urged protesters to maintain peace, reflecting the tone he had set throughout the campaign. The demonstrations later witnessed clashes with police, who used lathi-charge and tear gas to disperse protesters - actions the authorities described as a "mild" use of force but which drew widespread criticism from opposition leaders and civil society groups. Thousands of students gathered at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, during NEET-UG 2026 Protest. (Image Source: X/CJP) Despite the confrontations, Wangchuk consistently rejected calls for escalation, choosing instead to emphasise dialogue, constitutional methods and non-violence. The Circle Completed The protest formally concluded after Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stepped down from his post amid mounting political pressure, with his responsibilities reassigned within the Union Cabinet. But for Wangchuk, the movement's final image was not one of political victory. It was a quiet visit to Rajghat. "Visited Rajghat… before going home. Thank you Bapu, for the path you showed… We just learnt that it remains as relevant today as 100 years ago," he wrote on X. In an era where protests are often measured by disruption or viral moments, Wangchuk's campaign offered a different template. Beginning and ending at Rajghat, embracing fasting over force and appealing to conscience instead of confrontation, the activist sought to revive not just Gandhi's methods, but the moral spirit that once defined India's most transformative movements.

The Centre has constituted a six-member high-powered task force headed by Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms for making NTA examinations secure, transparent and technology-driven following the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak. With experts from technology, education, intelligence and logistics, the panel is expected to propose measures such as AI-based monitoring, biometric verification, encrypted question paper management and stronger cybersecurity to restore trust in India's examination system. By Mahima Katal New Delhi, July 26: In the wake of the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak that reignited concerns over the integrity of India's examination system, the Union government has announced a high-powered task force headed by Infosys co-founder and former UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani to recommend reforms aimed at making national-level examinations secure, technology-driven and trustworthy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the panel on July 26 through an Instagram reel, describing the proposed reforms as an effort to create an examination system that is "trusted, transparent and tech-savvy." The task force will primarily focus on overhauling the National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducts some of India's largest entrance examinations, including NEET, JEE Main, CUET and UGC-NET. The announcement comes just a day after former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned following mounting political pressure over the NEET-UG controversy, with Pralhad Joshi assuming charge of the Education Ministry. Why This Task Force Matters The NEET paper leak is only the latest in a series of examination scandals that have exposed systemic vulnerabilities in India's testing ecosystem. Over the past several years, multiple competitive examinations, including recruitment tests and university entrance exams—have been marred by allegations of paper leaks, impersonation, organised cheating and logistical failures. Rather than merely investigating individual leaks, the government now appears to be shifting towards structural reform by bringing together experts in digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, intelligence, logistics and education administration. The composition of the panel suggests that the government intends to redesign the entire examination lifecycle, from question paper creation to candidate authentication and post-exam analytics. What Reforms Could the Task Force Recommend? End-to-End Digital Security One of the most significant reforms is expected to be the introduction of secure digital public infrastructure for examinations. Instead of relying heavily on physical printing and transportation of question papers, the panel may recommend encrypted digital transmission systems with strict access controls, audit trails and real-time monitoring. Advanced encryption could ensure that question papers remain inaccessible until the authorised examination window opens. AI-Based Risk Detection Artificial intelligence is likely to become a central feature of future examinations. Using machine learning, authorities may be able to detect suspicious candidate behaviour, unusual examination centre patterns, abnormal score distributions and coordinated cheating networks. Predictive analytics could also identify vulnerable examination centres before the examination is conducted. Stronger Candidate Authentication Impersonation has remained a recurring problem in competitive examinations. The task force is expected to recommend biometric verification, facial recognition, Aadhaar-linked authentication and multi-factor identity verification to ensure that only genuine candidates appear for examinations. These technologies are already used in various government digital platforms and could now become standard for high-stakes entrance examinations. Secure Question Paper Management Paper leaks often occur during printing, storage or transportation. The committee is likely to examine reforms such as: Digital question paper vaults Time-locked encrypted downloads Limited-access authorisation systems Real-time monitoring of paper access Tamper-proof digital logs Such measures could significantly reduce human intervention in the examination process. Better Logistics and Supply Chain The inclusion of logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena indicates that physical movement of examination material will also come under scrutiny. Recommendations may include GPS-enabled tracking of sensitive examination material, standardised custody protocols and improved coordination between central agencies, state authorities and examination centres. Cybersecurity Standards With examinations becoming increasingly digital, cybersecurity will become equally critical. The task force could propose mandatory cybersecurity audits of examination platforms, vulnerability testing, secure cloud infrastructure and continuous monitoring to prevent hacking attempts. Why Nandan Nilekani? Nandan Nilekani has repeatedly been entrusted with building India's largest digital public infrastructure projects. As the founding chairman of UIDAI, he led the development of Aadhaar, which transformed identity verification across government services. He also played a major role in shaping the digital architecture that enabled the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), now regarded as one of India's most successful digital innovations. His previous roles include: Chairing the RBI Committee on Deepening Digital Payments (2019) Leading work on Digital Public Infrastructure under India's G20 presidency Serving on the Supreme Court's Artificial Intelligence Committee Mentoring the India Energy Stack initiative His appointment signals that the government may seek a technology architecture comparable to Aadhaar or UPI for examinations. Why the Other Members Matter The composition of the six-member panel reflects an effort to address examination reform from multiple dimensions. S. Somanath, former ISRO Chairman, brings expertise in mission-critical systems engineering, reliability and complex technology management. Tapan Deka, Director of the Intelligence Bureau, adds experience in intelligence gathering, counter-terrorism operations and threat assessment—critical for tackling organised examination leak networks. Dr. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras and a cybersecurity expert, is expected to contribute to secure computing systems, indigenous technology and AI integration. Anita Karwal, former Union Education Secretary and ex-CBSE Chairperson, provides institutional knowledge of school and higher education examinations, having played a key role in implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Amrit Lal Meena, an experienced administrator with expertise in logistics and infrastructure planning, could help strengthen examination supply chains and operational protocols. Will Technology Alone Solve India's Exam Crisis? While technology can significantly reduce vulnerabilities, experts caution that examination reforms cannot rely solely on digital solutions. Paper leaks often involve organised criminal networks, insider collusion, inadequate institutional accountability and weak enforcement mechanisms. Any lasting reform will likely require: Strong legal accountability for officials involved in examination misconduct Independent security audits of examination agencies Better coordination between central and state governments Regular cybersecurity testing Transparent grievance redress mechanisms Swift criminal investigation and prosecution in leak cases Technology may make cheating harder, but institutional integrity remains equally important. A Turning Point for the NTA? The creation of Nilekani's task force represents the government's most ambitious attempt yet to rebuild confidence in India's examination system after repeated controversies. If its recommendations result in comprehensive digital infrastructure, stronger cybersecurity, secure logistics and institutional reforms, they could fundamentally transform how national examinations are conducted. However, the success of the initiative will ultimately depend not only on the sophistication of the technology adopted but also on effective implementation, administrative accountability and public trust. For millions of students whose futures depend on competitive examinations each year, the credibility of the examination process is as important as the examination itself. Whether this task force delivers that credibility will determine whether it becomes another committee—or the beginning of a new era in India's examination system.

New Delhi, July 27: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari's move before the Bombay High Court is not merely another defamation dispute involving a public figure. It represents a growing legal challenge confronting democracies worldwide: how should courts balance the constitutional value of free expression with the equally important right to reputation in an era where artificial intelligence can manufacture falsehoods at unprecedented speed? On Monday, the Bombay High Court granted Gadkari permission to institute a substantive civil suit against X, Meta, Google and unidentified individuals over allegedly defamatory and AI-generated content linking him and his family to financial gains arising from India's Ethanol Blended Petrol (E20) programme. The Minister seeks removal of the content and ₹11 crore in damages. The controversy extends beyond one politician or one policy. It raises a larger constitutional question: when does criticism of a public official cross the line into actionable defamation? In his proposed suit, Gadkari has maintained that while he has served as Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways since 2014, the Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme is a policy implemented under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. According to the pleadings, the social media posts falsely portrayed him as being responsible for the E20 policy while alleging that he and members of his family had personally benefited from its implementation. Importantly, the suit distinguishes between criticism and fabrication. Gadkari expressly states that he is not seeking to prevent criticism of government policies or his public conduct. Instead, he argues that the impugned posts are fabricated, malicious and defamatory, and that several constitute AI-generated deepfakes exploiting his likeness without consent. That distinction may ultimately define the legal battle. Indian constitutional jurisprudence has consistently protected robust political criticism. Public officials are expected to tolerate greater scrutiny than ordinary citizens. Yet the law has never recognised a right to knowingly spread false statements presented as fact. As synthetic media becomes increasingly sophisticated, courts are now confronted with content that may appear authentic despite being entirely fabricated. The litigation therefore represents one of the clearest illustrations of how deepfake technology is reshaping traditional defamation law. Earlier disputes largely revolved around newspaper reports, television broadcasts or social media comments authored by identifiable individuals. AI-generated content introduces new complexities: anonymous creators, algorithmic amplification, multiple intermediaries and cross-border digital platforms. The case also underscores the expanding role of internet intermediaries. While the alleged content may have originated with unknown users, platforms increasingly find themselves drawn into litigation because they host, recommend or continue to carry disputed material. Courts are consequently being asked not only to determine whether content is defamatory but also to define the extent of responsibility borne by technology companies in responding to complaints involving AI-generated misinformation. Equally significant is Gadkari's decision to pursue civil remedies rather than rely solely on criminal defamation provisions. By seeking removal of the content and monetary damages, the litigation reflects a growing trend among public figures who increasingly turn to civil courts to protect their digital reputations while attempting to establish accountability for online falsehoods. The Bombay High Court will eventually decide the merits of Gadkari's claims. Whether the posts are indeed defamatory, whether they amount to protected political speech, and whether the platforms bear any legal responsibility remain issues for judicial determination. Whatever the outcome, the case is likely to become an important reference point in India's evolving digital jurisprudence. As AI-generated content becomes more convincing and misinformation spreads more rapidly than ever before, courts will increasingly be required to draw the constitutional boundary between legitimate public criticism and digitally manufactured defamation. That boundary may prove to be one of the defining legal questions of the AI era.

The plea sought a direction to the AWBI "to take immediate and effective action to prevent and address the rapid increase in cruelty to dogs in animal birth control centres and shelters across the country, including by conducting regular inspections of such centres and by initiating action against organisations and individuals responsible for cruelty to animals". By Pranjal Gupta New Delhi, July 26: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a petition that sought stronger action against the alleged cruelty faced by dogs in animal birth control (ABC) centres and animal shelters across India. The petition asked the court to direct the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to take effective steps to stop the mistreatment of dogs kept in these facilities. It also requested the court to order the Central government, all states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure that municipal bodies and local authorities do not appoint any animal welfare organisation to carry out animal birth control operations unless it has a valid Project Recognition Certificate (PRC) issued by the AWBI. The petitioner argued that only organisations recognised by the Animal Welfare Board should be allowed to conduct sterilisation and vaccination programmes, as this would help maintain proper standards of animal care and reduce the risk of cruelty. SC Declines Plea Seeking Action Against Cruelty to Dogs in Shelters and ABC Centres (Representative Image, Source: Unsplash) According to the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, no animal birth control programme for street dogs shall be conducted unless the local authority or animal welfare organisation has obtained a certificate of project recognition for conducting such a programme under the rules. The counsel appearing for the petitioner told a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta about the project recognition certificate. The counsel also referred to the top court's May 19 verdict which had passed a slew of directions, including asking the states and UTs to take time-bound steps for augmenting the infrastructure necessary for effective implementation of the animal birth control framework. "Dismissed," the bench said. The plea sought a direction to all animal welfare organisations that have not obtained renewal of their project recognition even after completing five years of recognition to immediately apply and obtain renewal from the AWBI. It also sought a direction that all animal welfare organisations that have not obtained renewal of their project recognition from the AWBI should forthwith cease from conducting any animal birth control operations until they obtain valid renewal of their project recognition. The plea sought a direction to the AWBI "to take immediate and effective action to prevent and address the rapid increase in cruelty to dogs in animal birth control centres and shelters across the country, including by conducting regular inspections of such centres and by initiating action against organisations and individuals responsible for cruelty to animals". In a significant verdict delivered on May 19, the apex court allowed euthanasia of rabid, incurably ill, dangerous and aggressive dogs to curb threat to human lives, saying the right to live with dignity encompasses the right to move freely without the threat of harm from stray canines. The top court had dismissed the petitions and applications for recall, modification of its November 7, 2025 order including directive on the relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs from institutional areas. In its November last year order, the top court had taken note of an "alarming rise" in dog bite incidents within institutional areas like educational institutions, hospitals and railway stations, and directed the forthwith relocation of stray canines to designated shelters after due sterilisation and vaccination. It had passed the directions in a suo motu case over the stray dog menace. (With Inputs from news agency PTI)

New Delhi, Jul 27 (PTI) India summoned Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksandr Polishchuk on Monday and lodged a strong protest over killing of an Indian seafarer in an attack on a merchant vessel in the Black Sea last week. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it conveyed to the envoy New Delhi's serious concern over the incident and condemned such attacks on commercial shipping in the strongest terms. The vessel MV Omorfi reportedly came under Ukrainian drone strikes amid fresh hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. India summons Ukraine's ambassador after an Indian seafarer was killed in the Black Sea, condemning attacks on commercial vessels. (Representative Image) "Today, the Ambassador of Ukraine to India, Oleksandr Polishchuk, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in connection with the attack on the commercial vessel MV Omorfi which resulted in the tragic death of an Indian national," the MEA said. "The ministry conveyed its serious concern over the incident and condemned such attacks on commercial shipping in the strongest terms, underscoring their adverse impact on the safety of maritime navigation, freedom of navigation, and international commerce," it said in a statement. It said the ambassador was "requested to convey to the Ukrainian authorities India's strong concerns over the targeting of commercial vessels and reiterated that such actions, which endanger the lives of innocent civilian seafarers, are unacceptable and must be avoided". (Except headline, the content is sourced from a syndicated feed)

Assam Floods: Assam has been severely affected due to relentless rainfall and flood situation, forcing lakhs of people to leave their houses and seek shelter elsewhere. The rescue operations are underway. However, 66 people have lost their lives. By Pranjal Gupta New Delhi, July 26: In a slight relief, the water level in many flood-affected parts of Assam is receding, officials monitoring the situation said. However, the natural calamity has displaced over 6.5 lakh people in the region, necessitating urgent evacuations after nearly a fortnight of torrential rain. At least 66 people have died due to the floods. An official from the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said the flood-hit areas of Upper Assam, especially Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat districts, have received less rainfall overnight, resulting in a gradual improvement in the situation. Which Area Was Affected The Most According to the authority's daily flood report issued at midnight, more than 6,54,800 people have been affected across Charaideo, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Nagaon and Sivasagar districts. Sivasagar was the worst-hit district, with nearly 2.9 lakh people affected, followed by Charaideo (1.9 lakh) and Jorhat (1.3 lakh). The flood situation improved marginally since Friday, when more than 7.05 lakh people were affected across nine districts. Assam Floods: Water Levels Fall, Yet Crops, Infrastructure and Livelihoods Bear the Brunt (Image Source: Screengrabs from Viral Videos on X) The ASDMA's midnight bulletin said four more people lost their lives in the deluge in the last 24 hours, taking this year's flood death toll to 66. Three deaths were reported in Sivasagar and one in Charaideo. PM Takes Stock of the Situation Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday offered full support to the Assam government in dealing with the deluge, which has shown signs of improvement as rain has stopped in most parts of the state. Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal reviewed relief measures at camps in the flood-affected areas and directed the officials concerned to ensure uninterrupted access to healthcare, food, drinking water and other essential services. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the situation has improved slightly and the administration has been able to reach almost all the affected areas. Addressing a press conference after a late-evening Cabinet meeting, he said a central team had arrived in the state to assess the damage caused by the floods in Upper Assam. Relief Camps The ASDMA said the administration has been operating 274 relief camps and distribution centres across six districts, providing shelter to 18,902 displaced people. Multiple agencies, including the Army, NDRF, SDRF, Fire and Emergency Services, police and civil authorities, have rescued many people from different parts of Upper Assam, it added. The authority distributed 1,668.68 quintals of rice, 286.99 quintals of dal, 83.75 quintals of salt and 7,995.01 litres of mustard oil among flood victims across the state in the last 24 hours. At present, 810 villages remain submerged and 34,970.8 hectares of crop area have been damaged across Assam, the ASDMA said. Embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged by floodwaters in different districts of the state. At present, the Dikhow River at Sivasagar and the Dhansiri River at Numaligarh are flowing above the danger level. (With Inputs from news agency PTI)

By The Slate Bureau Staff Kathmandu, Jul 26 (PTI) Nepal has requested India to recognise the National Identity Card as a valid travel document for Nepali citizens visiting the country, a move that will allow the NID to be used alongside the existing citizenship certificate and passport, a senior official said on Sunday. The Department of Immigration has forwarded the proposal to the Indian government through diplomatic channels, seeking recognition of the NID for travel to India, spokesperson Tika Ram Dhakal said. "We have already sent the proposal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Home Ministry, and the Foreign Ministry has forwarded it to the concerned authorities of India," he said. "We are in touch with the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu regarding the matter and are awaiting a formal response from the Indian side," Dhakal added. Nepal Wants National Identity Card Accepted for India Travel Alongside Passport (AI-Generated Image) If the proposal is approved, the National Identity Card will become the third valid identification document for Nepali citizens travelling to India by both air and land routes, alongside the citizenship certificate and passport, he said. Dhakal expressed hope that India would respond positively to Nepal's request at the earliest. Why Nepal Wants it At present, Nepali citizens travelling to India, particularly by air, are required to carry either a citizenship certificate or a passport. Indian nationals travelling to Nepal by air are required to carry either a passport or a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India. Nepal formally rolled out the nationwide National Identity Card in 2018 as part of its efforts to modernise public administration and has made it mandatory for availing services at government offices and in the banking sector. The government also plans to eventually replace the traditional citizenship certificate with the biometric identity card. India and Nepal share an open border under the 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, which allows citizens of both countries to travel and work across the border without visas. However, specified identity documents are required for both air and road travel between the two countries.

A three-year pause on new H-1B issuances and a codified $100,000 fee, introduced days after a court struck down that same fee as an unlawful executive tax, would hit Indian workers, IT staffing firms, and OPT students hardest. The bill effectively tries to have Congress supply the authorisation the courts said the White House lacked. New Delhi, July 25: Of all the countries with a stake in the H-1B programme, none has more riding on it than India. Indian nationals have consistently accounted for the large majority of H-1B approvals each year, and the visa has functioned as the backbone of a two-decade pipeline connecting Indian engineering talent, Indian IT services firms, and the American technology sector. The End H-1B Abuse Act, introduced this week by Senator Tim Sheehy, does not target India by name, but its provisions are structured in ways that would fall on Indian workers, Indian companies, and Indian students more heavily than on any other group. The headline provision — a three-year pause on new H-1B issuances — would be the most immediate blow. For Indian professionals already navigating multi-year backlogs in employment-based green card categories, a freeze on new issuances would not simply delay entry into the programme; it would compound an existing bottleneck that, for Indian nationals specifically, already runs into decades in some employment-based categories because of per-country caps. A pause layered on top of that backlog would push the effective wait time for a first H-1B, let alone a green card, further out for anyone not already holding status. The bill's proposed ban on concurrent employment and third-party staffing-agency placements deserves particular attention, because this is the provision most directly aimed at a business model that Indian IT services companies pioneered and still rely on. Firms that place consultants at client sites across the US financial, healthcare and technology sectors have historically done so through exactly the kind of staffing arrangements the bill would prohibit. A ban of this kind would not simply raise costs for these firms; it would require a structural change in how Indian IT majors deploy talent onshore, likely accelerating a shift toward direct hiring of US-based staff or a further pullback in H-1B dependence that several large Indian IT firms have already been pursuing in response to earlier fee increases. The move to replace the random lottery with a wage-based selection system compounds this effect rather than offsetting it. Wage-based selection favours higher-paid, typically more senior positions, which structurally disadvantages the entry- and mid-level placements that staffing-model consulting arrangements have depended on. Combined with the concurrent-employment ban, the bill would push the H-1B programme toward a smaller pool of higher-wage, single-employer positions — a profile that fits large technology companies hiring directly far better than it fits the IT services and staffing model that has long been the primary route by which Indian professionals entered the programme. Ending "dual intent" would strike at a different, more personal dimension of the pipeline. Dual intent currently allows an H-1B holder to pursue a green card while remaining on non-immigrant status, and its removal would force H-1B holders — a population disproportionately Indian, given the per-country backlog many are already navigating — into a legal fiction that non-immigrant status and immigrant intent cannot coexist, even for workers who have spent a decade or more of their working lives in the United States on temporary status while waiting for a permanent one. The bill's provision ending OPT-style work authorisation would close off a different, earlier stage of the same pipeline. Optional Practical Training currently allows international students to work in the US for a period after graduation, and Indian students make up one of the largest cohorts using it, particularly in STEM fields where OPT extensions are common. Ending that authorisation would remove the bridge many Indian students currently rely on between a US degree and an eventual H-1B petition, effectively closing off the pipeline at its earliest point rather than only at the visa-issuance stage. Taken together, the bill's provisions read less like a series of unconnected restrictions and more like a coordinated effort to dismantle the specific mechanisms, staffing arrangements, dual intent, OPT, and the lottery itself, that have made the H-1B pipeline especially accessible to Indian workers and Indian firms over the past two decades. Whether the bill passes in anything resembling its current form is uncertain, and the technology and IT services lobby can be expected to resist several of its provisions vigorously. But its introduction is itself a signal worth registering in India: the debate over H-1B's future is no longer confined to fee levels or lottery odds, but now extends to the underlying business and legal structures that have made the visa work, for two decades, specifically for Indian talent and Indian companies.

By The Slate Bureau Staff New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned from his post on Saturday over the NEET paper leak row, saying it is not a matter of "individual prestige" for him. Pradhan said he is disturbed to see the series of events that have unfolded in the last 10 days and sent his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “I took responsibility of NEET paper leak from day one,” he said. He also said that anti national forces should not be allowed to take advantage of situation at Jantar Mantar and across country. In his resignation, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the issue was not about "individual prestige" and urged that anti-national forces should not exploit the ongoing protests. His resignation comes amid sustained demonstrations at Jantar Mantar demanding accountability and reforms in public examinations. Pradhan's resignations comes amid Cockroach Janta Party-led protests at the Jantar Mantar, demanding his accountability over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak and irregularities in the CBSE's on-screen marking process, besides seeking wider reforms in the conduct of public examinations. (With Agency Inputs)

By The Slate Bureau Staff Toronto, Jul 25 (PTI) A contract killer, who is already serving a life term for the murder of a former suspect in the Air India Kanishka bombing, has been sentenced to an additional 15 years in prison by a Canadian court in a separate case involving a fatal shooting, according to a media report. Tanner Fox, 25, was sentenced on Wednesday after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of 41-year-old Chad Colivas of Abbotsford in British Columbia, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported on Friday. Police said Colivas was found with gunshot wounds at his home on March 21, 2022, and later died of his injuries. Fox was arrested in 2023 along with 30-year-old Laetitia Acera. Acera pleaded guilty to break and enter and was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by two years of probation, while Fox pleaded guilty to manslaughter with a firearm in April this year. Less than four months after Colivas' killing, Fox shot dead Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik on July 14, 2022, while he was sitting in his Tesla at a business park in Surrey, British Columbia. Malik was one of the main accused in the 1985 Air India Flight 182 "Kanishka" bombing executed by Canada-based Sikh separatists. All 329 people, including 268 Canadians, 27 British citizens, and 22 Indians on board the flight, were killed in the terror attack. Canada Sentences Killer of Air India Kanishka Bombing Suspect in Another Fatal Shooting Fox later pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Malik, who, along with co-accused Ajaib Singh Bagri were acquitted in 2005 after a Canadian court ruled there was insufficient evidence to convict them in the terror attack. Inderjit Singh Reyat, who admitted to assembling the bombs, was the only person convicted in connection with the terror attack. He was later released in 2016 after serving nearly two-thirds of his sentence. In 2025, Fox was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for 20 years for Malik's killing. During sentencing, he told the court he had been "young and dumb" when he carried out the contract killing. Canadian police and prosecutors have not disclosed who they believe hired Fox to assassinate Malik. (With Agency Inputs)