SC dismiss PIL alleging circulation of deepfake videos of Col Sofiya Qureshi
New Delhi, May 16 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL alleging circulation of AI-generated deepfake videos of Colonel Sofiya Qureshi. The PIL sought setting up of a court-monitored expert panel for drafting a model law to deal with such online content.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh agreed with the petitioner-in-person Narendra Kumar Goswami that it was a "serious issue" but said that similar issues are being dealt with by the Delhi High Court by a bench headed by the chief justice.
"We are not saying that it was not a serious issue but the Delhi High Court has been hearing this issue for a couple of years. If we entertain this petition, the high court will stop hearing the pending matter and all its hard work over the years will go in vain. It will be appropriate, if you approach the Delhi High Court," the bench said.
Goswami said he was disturbed with the circulation of deepfake videos of Qureshi, who was part of the team which gave briefing on Operation Sindoor.
He submitted that numerous fake videos of the Army officer were being circulated online.
The bench said that these cyber criminals are so faster than the regulating authorities that before the petitioner goes out of the courtroom, a new video will come up.
The top court asked the high court to accord audience to the petitioner and hear his suggestions on the issue.
"We do not deem it necessary to entertain this petition and initiate a parallel proceeding. The petitioner is relegated to Delhi High Court with liberty to seek his impleadment as intervenor and assist in the pending matter," the top court said while dismissing the PIL.
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43 new medical colleges established in 2025-26; 11,682 MBBS seats approved: Minister in RS
New Delhi (PTI): Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that 43 new medical colleges have been established across the country for the academic year 2025–26.
As informed by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the government has approved 11,682 MBBS seats and 8,967 postgraduate (PG) seats, [including AIIMS and Institutes of National Importance (INIs)] across the country for the same academic year, Patel said in a written reply.
The NMC invites online applications every year from medical colleges and institutions across the country for the establishment of new medical colleges and for the increase of undergraduate (UG) and PG seats.
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Further, letter of permission (LoP) or letter of disapproval (LoD) is issued after following due process of scrutiny and assessment in accordance with the provisions of the Establishment of Medical Institutions, Assessment and Rating Regulations, 2023, Minimum Standard Requirement for Undergraduate courses (UGMSR), 2023, the Minimum Standard Requirement for Postgraduate courses (PGMSR), 2023, and other relevant norms and guidelines issued by the NMC from time to time.
The Union Health Ministry administers a centrally sponsored scheme (CSS) for "Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals" with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing government or private medical college with fund sharing between the Centre and state governments in the ratio of 90:10 for North Eastern and special category states and 60:40 for others, Patel explained.
Under the scheme, 157 medical colleges have been approved in three phases with a total approved cost of Rs 41,332.41 crore. Out of the central share of Rs 26,715.84 crores, an amount of Rs 23,246.10 crore has been released so far, Patel said.
