The Supreme Court of India delivered a sharp rebuke to the Gujarat Police, emphasising that law enforcement must understand and value the right to free speech and expression, particularly 75 years after the Constitution came into force. The court, while hearing a case concerning an FIR against Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi over a satirical poem, emphasised that police forces across the country must grasp the fundamental right to free expression. The Supreme Court took a firm stance against the Gujarat High Court’s reasoning in the case. Reading aloud the poem’s translation, the bench on Monday stated: “Those who are bloodthirsty, listen to us. Even if the fight for justice is met with injustice, we will meet that injustice with love…This is what the translation of this poem is…What else can it be but promoting non-violence?” stated the bench of justices led by Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan. Hot Off the Press The Times of India’s Amit Anand Choudhary reported that th

Former tech journalist turned PR Pro, AZK Media founder Azadeh Williams has called her nomination for PR Professional of the Year at the 2025 Mumbrella CommsCon Awards a “real team effort” by the AZK Media team.  “In all honesty, I think it has been a team effort, so I can't take all the credit for everything that has been achieved at our agency,” Williams told Influencing. “What we've done is push boundaries and have highlighted our real passion and dedication to technology. That genuine passion for delivering real results has also been highlighted in our submission.” Williams is Managing Director of the agency founded in December 2017, and this is not her first rodeo - she won the same award last year and this year’s nomination is her third.  “ I'm humbled and honoured to have been considered, and yeah, it's always an exciting night,” Williams said, “As a former journalist turned PR agency leader, it's a wonderful way for the industry to recognise that gre

Laura Spurway is joining Melbourne radio station 3AW's Football team as the station’s first dedicated AFLW reporter, with Nine-owned 3AW saying it's the first radio station to appoint a dedicated AFLW reporter. They add it's an 'historic move'  because of the growing popularity of the women’s code and the station’s intent to help grow the sport.    Spurway will cover all elements of women's football, including all state leagues, and her work will feature across Nine Radio’s websites, social media channels, and as part of the network’s news service. She will also work across the station’s AFL coverage.  Spurway said, "It’s an absolute dream come true to join the 3AW Football team. This radio station is the heartbeat of Melbourne and their exceptional coverage extends way beyond that. I can’t wait to join the ranks of some of the most respected voices in the field for a huge 2025 and beyond." Stephen Beers, 3AW’s Station Manager, said, "We are delighted to

The third edition of the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave 2025 was held in New Delhi on 27 February, focusing on the transition from traditional to digital media and the challenges posed by AI. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the event, themed ‘Media Transformations in the AI Age’, highlighting the need for a credible and efficient digital news ecosystem. He emphasised the importance of addressing employment, copyright, and fair compensation issues in the evolving media landscape. According to Storyboard18, Viashnaw said, "Along with traditional media, digital platforms have become dominant, particularly among younger audiences. This transition brings challenges, and the government is fully prepared to provide the necessary support," urging stakeholders to offer practical solutions for a seamless transition. Policymakers and industry leaders discussed misinformation, deepfakes, data privacy and platform accountability. Michael McNamara, Co-chair

India Today Conclave 2025 will be held at Taj Palace, New Delhi, on 7-8 March, bringing together industry leaders to discuss AI, automation, politics, defence, and business. The two-day event will examine AI’s role in decision-making, healthcare, defence and industry transformation, along with the ethical and regulatory challenges it presents. Muks Robotics will showcase Spaceo Humanoid, an AI-driven humanoid and Guardeo Robo Dogs, robotic security units for surveillance. Toby Walsh, Chief Scientist at UNSW.ai, will share insights on AI’s impact. He will be joined by leaders from politics, business and security to discuss the future of AI and automation.

The third edition of The Indian Express Excellence in Governance Awards took place in New Delhi recently, recognising India’s finest district magistrates for their contributions to public administration. It brought together the leaders of governance who are transforming the country at its core.  The event was presented by NxtGen Cloud Tech and NSE and highlighted district officials' efforts in community service and governance. Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, attended as Chief Guest, alongside Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, as Guest of Honour. Viveck Goenka, Chairman & Managing Director of The Indian Express Group, addressed the gathering, reflecting on the role of district magistrates in shaping India’s progress.The event recognised contributions from Vajiram & Ravi, ICFAI Group, Indian Oil, GSC Bank and PwC across service,

Following reports electors in two different States were getting the same Voter ID numbers, the Commission said that it would remove these duplications and ensure that each voter gets a unique EPIC number. Also, irrespective of the EPIC number, a person can cast a vote only at their designated polling stations in their respective constituencies in their States or Union Territories. Sreeparna Chakrabarty for The Hindu wrote that the poll body further said that the allotment of identical EPIC number/series to some electors from different States/UTs was due to a decentralized and manual mechanism being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all States/UTs to the ERONET platform. This resulted in certain State/UT CEO offices using the same EPIC alphanumeric series and leaving a scope for the possibility of duplicate EPIC numbers being allotted to electors in different Assembly Constituencies in different States/UTs, according to the ECI. The ERONET is a web-ba