Mumbai University spends Rs 7.44 lakh on senate poll: RTI
Mumbai, Dec 26 : The Mumbai University (MU) spent Rs 7.44 lakh on the election of ten registered graduate candidates to the senate body held in March this year, an RTI query has revealed.
A total of 57 registered graduate candidates had contested the election for the Senate, the principal authority for all financial estimates, budgetary appropriations and for providing social feedback to the MU on current and future academic programmes.
As per the response given by the MU to the query filed by activist Anil Galgali, a big chunk of the total expenditure at Rs 5.65 lakh was spent on "hospitality, travelling and issuing advertisements".
The activist claimed that the MU took nine months to reply to his query, which he had submitted in March.
He had sought details of all expenses incurred in the Senate committee election.
MU deputy Vice Chancellor and Public Information Officer (PIO) Rajendra Ambawade stated that the total expenditure of Rs 7,44,449 was incurred towards conducting the election.
"Out of this total expenditure, the maximum amount of Rs 3.22 lakh was spent on travelling (of officials) while Rs 2.42 lakh on advertisements. Amounts of Rs 69.900 and Rs 68,810 were spent on hospitality and software, respectively, while training and vote counting of the election cost Rs 3,330", he stated.
Questionning the "long" delay on part of the MU in replying to his query, Galgali demanded that details of such information be put on the MU website, to ensure transparency.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
MediaOne TV Facebook page restored after block linked to ‘government request’
Kochi: The official Facebook page of Malayalam news channel MediaOne TV has been restored after being blocked without prior notice, the broadcaster said on Wednesday.
The channel was quoted by Maktoob as saying that the restriction was lifted automatically, with Meta Platforms informing it that the action had been taken following a “government request” which has now expired or been reversed.
The development came shortly after the channel approached the Kerala High Court challenging the blocking of its page, terming it arbitrary and in violation of legal provisions and judicial precedents. The High Court had issued notice to Meta via email hours before the restriction was withdrawn.
In its petition, the channel said access to its Facebook page had been restricted for users in India without citing any specific content or alleged violation. It contended that while individual posts may be taken down under applicable a rule, blocking an entire page goes beyond the scope of such measures.
The incident followed an earlier action taken against the channel in 2022, when the Ministry of Information and transmitting prohibited it from transmitting. It cited national security concerns regarding the Ministry of Home Affairs' refusal of security clearance.
The Supreme Court of India in April 2023 set aside the ban, observing that national security claims cannot be made without substantive basis and that criticism of government policies does not render a media outlet anti-national.
