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The Hindu
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Actor Shwetha Menon approaches Kerala High Court seeking to quash FIR
Actor Shwetha Menon approached the Kerala High Court on Thursday (August 7, 2025) seeking to quash an FIR registered against her by the Ernakulam Central Police on the charge that she performed roles in movies having alleged vulgar and obscene contents for financial gains and that the contents were transmitted via social media and adult sites to gain popularity. She had thus been charged under Section 67(A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and under Sections 3 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 based on a complaint by Martin Menachery, an Ernakulam resident, after the Ernakulam Chief Judicial Magistrate Court issued a directive to the police. Alleging that the FIR was malafide and ill-motivated, Ms. Menon submitted in her petition before the High Court that the movies had been certified by the CBFC and were publicly exhibited years ago. 'I have good reputation in society and have been implicated as an accused in a crime because of mindless reference of a complaint to the police by a magistrate. The complaint raises absurd and fanciful allegations which do not attract the offences alleged even prima facie,' she said. It is crucial to note that the character that the petitioner portrayed in the film Paleri Manikyam, which the complainant says as obscene, bagged the Kerala State award for best actress. The other films made mention of (by the complainant) too were accepted and appreciated in public domain by their quality as a whole, she said in the petition. These films were created by artistes who were at the pinnacle of proficiency in their respective fields. An appearance in a condom advertisement too was duly censored and certified and is available in the public domain, she said in the petition. The FIR against the actor has come at a time when she is contesting for the post of the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artistes (AMMA), in the election to the executive committee of the actors' body to be held on August 15.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Swetha Menon booked ahead of AMMA polls
Kochi: In run-up to AMMA elections, Kochi city police registered a case against Malayalam actor , who is contesting for the post of Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) president, for allegedly earning money through acting in obscene films and advertisements. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police invoked various sections, including Section 67(A) of the IT Act, 2000, which pertains to the publishing or transmission of sexually explicit content in electronic form, along with Sections 3 and 5 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. The FIR was registered by Ernakulam central police based on an order from the Ernakulam judicial magistrate court following a complaint filed by Martin Menachery, general secretary of Newspaper Association of India. The case gains significance as Menon is contesting against actor Devan for the post, with the election scheduled for Aug 15.
Indian Express
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Need of the hour': Bombay HC to get bench in Kolhapur from Aug 18
The Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court on Friday issued a notification to constitute a bench of the HC at Kolhapur in Western Maharashtra from August 18. The gazette notification issued by CJ Alok Aradhe, with approval from Governor of Maharashtra, was issued over a month after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Bhushan R Gavai had supported the demand to set up a bench of the Bombay HC in Kolhapur. 'In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of Section 51 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 (No. 37 of 1956), and all other powers enabling me in this behalf, I Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice of the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, with the approval of the Governor of Maharashtra, appoint Kolhapur as a place at which judges and division courts of the High Court may also sit, with effect from 18th August 2025,' the gazette notification issued by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe of Bombay HC reads. On June 26, while addressing lawyers' association of the Bombay HC at the Aurangabad bench, CJI Gavai had stated that justice should be made available to citizens 'in every corner'. Last year, he had said that the bench at Kolhapur was the 'need of the hour.' Besides the principal seat at Mumbai, the Bombay HC presently has benches at Nagpur, Aurangabad (in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city) and Goa (at Panaji). On September 28 last year, Justice Gavai, who was the senior judge of the Supreme Court, had said the constitution of Kolhapur bench of the Bombay High Court is a 'need of the hour.' In support of his demand, Justice Gavai had said that it will offer far-flung residents from the nearby districts an effective access to justice and emphasised that additional benches do not bring down the stature of the HC. The lawyers have been demanding a bench of the high court in Kolhapur for several years, claiming that a large number of cases pending at HC are from the same region. The lawyers had claimed that citizens from six districts in the Kolhapur region are compelled to travel 400-500 km to approach the principal seat of HC in Mumbai. The six districts included Satara, Sangli, Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Solapur, and Kolhapur. Responding to the demand raised by Justice Gavai, the then Deputy Chief Minister (present CM) and law minister Devendra Fadnavis had in September last year said that the state government had already passed a resolution for a Kolhapur bench and 'the ball was in Bombay HC administration's court' to decide on the same. Earlier, in March 2022, at an all-party meeting, political leaders of the state had supported the demand for setting up a circuit bench (temporary courts functioning for a few months every year) at Kolhapur. They had cited a study that said it would take 45 per cent burden off the court. The Bombay HC is presently functioning with 66 judges, 50 permanent judges, and 16 additional judges. However, the sanctioned strength of the court, which is the second largest in the country after the Allahabad High Court, is 94.
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Business Standard
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Forecast meets futures with NCDEX to tap real-time IMD weather data
This would help NCDEX develop statistically validated weather indices that form the foundation of weather-linked futures contracts New Delhi Listen to This Article In a step towards the formal launch of India's first weather derivatives, the country's leading commodity exchange, the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), and premier state-run weather forecaster, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will give the former access to IMD's historical and real-time weather data. This would help NCDEX develop statistically validated weather indices that form the foundation of weather-linked futures contracts. The agreement is after weather derivatives were included in the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956 (SCRA), in 2024, paving the way for commodity exchanges to offer them as
Forbes
29-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
When Labor Meets AI: The Next Frontier In Workforce Economics
Industry engineer construction,using smart tablet,control automation robot arm machine intelligence ... More operation construction site,concept business industry 4.0,Artificial intelligence or AI,5G network Even in the mid-20th century, leaders understood that organized labor was not only a bargaining tool but a pillar of economic credibility. Addressing the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America Convention in 1956, Eleanor Roosevelt observed: Nearly seventy years later, her words echo with renewed relevance. As artificial intelligence accelerates in capability and adoption, the definition of work—and the institutions built to protect it—are entering uncharted territory. Labor unions, long a cornerstone of worker advocacy and financial leverage, now confront a systemic test: whether they can not only defend wages and conditions, but credibly guide the transition toward a machine-augmented economy whose disruptions are often invisible until they are irreversible. From their origins in the trades and industrial movements of the 19th century, unions gained influence by organizing workers around shared physical spaces, defined tasks, and predictable employment structures. Over the 20th century, these organizations grew into major political forces, channeling member dues into campaigns, legislation, and collective bargaining aimed at securing better wages, conditions, and protections. But technology has always tested the boundaries of labor. The disappearance of elevator operators—once a common union job—following the introduction of automated elevators in the mid-20th century serves as an early example of how technological efficiency can render once-essential roles obsolete. Today, artificial intelligence presents a far more expansive and systemic challenge. AI is not merely optimizing tasks; it is absorbing entire functions. From logistics to legal review, customer service to manufacturing, AI systems are increasingly performing duties once reserved for human workers, often at higher speeds and lower costs. world. During a conversation at Hamilton College in Upstate New York on April 3, former President Barack Obama remarked that only the most elite coders will be able to keep up with machine-generated code, signaling a broader trend: automation is no longer confined to repetitive tasks. It now threatens knowledge work and professional careers once thought immune to disruption. For unions, this evolution raises urgent questions. The traditional tools of organized labor—strikes, contract negotiations, grievance processes—were designed for human-centered workplaces. As algorithms replace decision-makers and predictive models supplant manual oversight, those tools are being tested. What does collective bargaining look like in a workplace run by artificial agents? How do you negotiate with a system that cannot respond to protest? Some unions are adapting. Contract language in select industries now includes clauses on algorithmic transparency, human review of AI decisions, and mandated re-skilling initiatives. Others are advocating for legislation that treats AI systems as subjects of labor law, requiring disclosure, audits, and ethical use standards akin to workplace safety regulations. In elections to come, we may see political contributions, once focused on wage floors and benefits, that are increasingly focused on supporting candidates who prioritize digital rights and AI governance. Still, many labor organizations remain caught in a reactive posture, confronting displacement after it has already occurred. Unlike prior technological waves, AI does not just replace physical tasks, it replicates judgment, analysis, and communication. Its spread is faster, its learning curve steeper, and its effects less visible until the disruption is complete. The future of organized labor may depend on its ability to reframe its role, not just as a protector of existing jobs, but as a steward of equitable transitions in a machine-augmented economy. Just as elevator operators once gave way to automation, today's workforce may need to accept that some roles will vanish. The question for unions is whether they can still shape what comes next. The German Model: IG Metall and Volkswagen A recent agreement between Volkswagen AG and IG Metall, one of the world's largest industrial unions, offers a roadmap for how labor organizations might not only adapt, but also influence the transformation. Finalized in December 2024 and titled Zukunft Volkswagen (Future Volkswagen), the agreement redefines union relevance in an age of automation. The deal includes a socially responsible workforce reduction of more than 35,000 positions across German plants by 2030. Rather than through layoffs, this reduction will be managed through early retirement, voluntary buyouts, and attrition. In return, Volkswagen committed to a job security guarantee through 2030 for remaining workers, even as automation and electric vehicle production reshape operational needs. The agreement also introduced flexible work models, redistributed development roles within the corporate network, and preserved core manufacturing functions across sites. The union's role extended beyond protection, it also helped co-design the structural transition, ensuring that workers had a voice in how technology would be integrated and labor reallocated. From a financial standpoint, the arrangement allows Volkswagen to realize €1.5 billion in annual labor cost savings while retaining production viability in Germany. It aligns with the company's goal to become the world's leading volume manufacturer of electric vehicles by 2030, without discarding its workforce. Implications for U.S. Labor While the U.S. legal and economic environment differs from Germany's, elements of the Volkswagen AG and IG Metall agreement offer instructive value for American unions navigating the AI era. Sectors including logistics, transportation, customer service, administrative support, and even healthcare are likely to become more vulnerable to automation-driven role reduction. In these fields, labor organizations might consider: From the steam engine to the microchip, labor unions have consistently recalibrated to meet changing conditions. AI represents a steeper curve, but not an insurmountable one. If unions can establish a role not only in defending existing positions but also in shaping the frameworks that govern new ones, it may help them continue to serve as key stakeholders in an evolving economic landscape. In this respect, they have an opportunity to reinforce the aspiration Roosevelt articulated: that collective strength, applied thoughtfully, can help align technological progress with broadly shared prosperity.
