Railway to soon make OTP must for all Tatkal tickets bought at reservation counters
New Delhi (PTI): To book Tatkal train tickets from railway reservation counters, passengers will now have to provide a one-time password received on their mobile phones, a move officials say is aimed at curbing misuse of the last-minute ticket booking facility.
The Railway Ministry initiated the OTP-based Tatkal ticketing system for journeys booked from reservation counters on a pilot basis on November 17. It started with a few trains, and the number was soon increased to 52.
In the next few days, this reservation system at counters will be implemented for all remaining trains, the ministry said in a statement.
According to it, the OTP-based Tatkal reservation system was proposed to make the last-minute ticket-booking facility more convenient for common users.
"Under this system, while booking a Tatkal ticket at a reservation counter, the passenger receives an OTP on the mobile number provided in the reservation form. The ticket is confirmed only after successful OTP verification," the ministry said.
Officials stated the initiative is aimed at curbing misuse of the Tatkal facility and ensuring that genuine passengers have better access to high-demand tickets. This marks a significant step towards enhancing transparency, passenger convenience, and security in railway ticketing, they added.
In the past few months, the Railway Ministry introduced a couple of measures for passengers to get fair access to ticket reservations and discourage booking agents from exploiting the system for their own benefit.
In July, the Railway Ministry mandated Aadhaar verification through OTP for online ticket bookings under the Tatkal system across the country. From October 1, it permitted only Aadhaar-authenticated users to book reserved general tickets through the IRCTC website or app during the first 15 minutes after booking opens for any train.
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Bill to regulate deepfakes tabled in Lok Sabha
New Delhi (PTI): A Private Member's Bill seeking a clear legal framework for regulation of deepfakes has been introduced in the Lok Sabha.
The Regulation of Deepfake Bill, introduced by Shiv Sena leader Shrikant Shinde in the House on Friday, aims to protect citizens by mandating prior consent from individuals depicted in deepfake content.
"Misuse of deepfakes for harassment, deception and misinformation has escalated, creating an urgent need for regulatory safeguards," Shinde said.
The Bill also lists penalties for offenders creating or disseminating deepfake content with malicious intent.
"With advancements in artificial intelligence and deep learning, deepfake technology has emerged as a significant tool for media manipulation. While the technology has potential applications in education, entertainment and creative fields, it also poses severe risks when misused, threatening individual privacy, national security and public trust," Shinde said in the statement of objects and reasons in the Bill.
The proposed Bill seeks to establish a clear legal framework to govern the creation, distribution and application of deepfakes in India, said Shinde, a three-term Lok Sabha member from Kalyan.
The Bill also seeks to establish the Deepfake Task Force, a dedicated body to combat national security implications and evaluate the influence of deepfakes on privacy, civic participation, and potential election interference.
The task force will collaborate with academic and private sector institutions to develop technologies that detect manipulated content, thereby promoting credibility in digital media.
The Bill also proposes to establish a fund to support public and private sector initiatives in the detection and deterrence of advanced image manipulation.
A Private Member's Bill is a procedure of Parliament that enables lawmakers, who are not ministers, to draw attention to issues that might not be represented in Government Bills or to highlight the issues and gaps in the existing legal framework that require legislative intervention.
