Kasaragod: Toll collection at Arikkady Plaza temporarily suspended
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Kasaragod: The collection of toll fees at the Arikkady Toll Plaza on the Mangaluru–Kasaragod National Highway has been temporarily postponed. Kasaragod District Collector K. Inbasekar said that further action will be taken after the High Court delivers its verdict.
The toll collection, which was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, has been put on hold following protests. MLA A. K. M. Ashraf said the Deputy Commissioner and the District Police Chief have assured that the collection process will not begin until further orders.
The MLA added that the Toll Gate Protest Committee had filed a petition in the High Court, and the hearing is scheduled for November 14. The administration has been instructed not to collect toll fees until the court’s final decision is announced.
Locals have been protesting against the toll collection over the past several days. On Tuesday evening, the protest committee held an emergency meeting to plan the next course of action. Following the developments, the district administration decided to defer the toll collection until the court’s verdict.
Earlier, it was announced that toll collection would commence at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.
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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.
