[{"id":"u-1785768593160","title":"Supreme Court Asks Centre to Review Plea Seeking Shift of Protest Venue from Jantar Mantar","slug":"supreme-court-asks-centre-to-review-plea-seeking-shift-of-protest-venue-from-jantar-mantar","excerpt":"","content":"\n\nThe Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to examine a petition seeking the relocation of Delhi's designated protest venue from Jantar Mantar, saying the issue raised was \"important\" and required the government's response.\n\nA Bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant directed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to obtain instructions from the Union government before the matter is heard further. The court also issued notice on the petition and decided to hear it separately.\n\nThe plea argues that Jantar Mantar is no longer equipped to handle today's large and rapidly expanding protests. According to the petitioner, limited road access, traffic congestion, emergency movement, sanitation concerns and security challenges make the location unsuitable for major demonstrations.\n\nFiled by Satish Chand Kaushik through advocate Aakarshan Aditya, the petition requests that Ramlila Maidan—or another larger, better-equipped venue—be designated as the primary site for public protests in the national capital.\n\nDuring the hearing, the petitioner's counsel told the court that protests can now swell within hours through social media mobilisation, making crowd management far more difficult than when Jantar Mantar was first identified as a protest site. The plea also highlights the area's proximity to Parliament, the Central Vista and several government establishments, arguing that this creates avoidable security concerns.\n\nThe petition further states that repeated demonstrations in central Delhi often leave commuters stranded in heavy traffic and disrupt the movement of residents, emergency vehicles and businesses. It also referred to recent protests in the area, including demonstrations that witnessed police intervention.\n\nChief Justice Surya Kant observed that the government should be able to handle such situations and remarked that the court would step in if necessary.\n\nThe matter assumes significance because it comes soon after the Supreme Court reiterated that citizens have a constitutional right to peaceful protest, while stressing that this freedom must be balanced with public order and the rights of commuters.\n\nIn previous judgments, including the 2018 decision restoring protests at Jantar Mantar and the 2020 Shaheen Bagh ruling, the Supreme Court underlined that democratic dissent is protected, but public spaces cannot be occupied indefinitely in a way that infringes upon the rights of others.\n\nThe Centre is now expected to place its position before the court when the matter is taken up next.\n","category_slug":"politics","author":"Bhandara Today","author_avatar":"/logo.png","image":"http://api.bhandaratoday.com/uploads/2026/08/1785777565438-Cockroach_Janta_Party_CJP_Prot.jfif","read_time":"2 min read","status":"published","featured":false,"trending":true,"breaking":false,"views_count":0,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","seo_keywords":"","published_at":"2026-08-03T14:49:46.717Z","created_at":"2026-08-03T14:49:46.717Z","updated_at":"2026-08-03T17:19:27.880Z"},{"id":"u-1785760499404","title":"ChatGPT Dominates AI Spending in U.S. House Offices, Accounting for Nearly 90% of Identifiable Purchases","slug":"chatgpt-dominates-ai-spending-in-us-house-offices-accounting-for-nearly-90-of-identifiable-purchases","excerpt":"","content":"**Washington:** ChatGPT captured nearly 90% of all identifiable artificial intelligence (AI) spending by U.S. House offices, committees, and institutional accounts over the 12 months ending March 31, according to an analysis of House disbursement records by CNBC.\n\nThe report found that House offices made at least **$113,740** in traceable payments to AI vendors during the period. Of that amount, **ChatGPT received $100,580 across 798 transactions**, representing approximately **88% of total AI spending** and **96% of all identified AI-related transactions**.\n\nAnthropic's **Claude** ranked second, with **$13,160 spread across 37 transactions**.\n\nThe analysis reflects only a portion of Congress' AI usage. It excludes free AI accounts, AI features bundled into enterprise software such as Microsoft Copilot, and most Senate-related spending because House records do not clearly identify vendors for Senate purchases.\n\n### Democratic Offices Spent More on AI\n\nThe data also showed a notable difference in spending between political parties.\n\nDemocratic House offices accounted for **$54,165** in identifiable AI purchases, more than three times the **$15,782** spent by Republican offices. ChatGPT subscriptions appeared in **44 Democratic offices** and **27 Republican offices**.\n\n### AI Becoming a Daily Tool for Congressional Staff\n\nAccording to **Marci Harris**, CEO of the POPVOX Foundation, congressional staff are increasingly relying on AI for everyday work, including summarizing legislation, drafting internal memos, preparing for committee hearings, and responding to constituent inquiries.\n\nHarris noted that staff workloads continue to grow as lobbyists and constituents also use AI to produce longer and more detailed communications, increasing the volume of information congressional offices must process.\n\n### AI Saving Staff Time\n\nRepresentative **Julie Fedorchak** (R-N.D.) said her office uses ChatGPT to create a searchable database of legislation and constituent information. The AI system then generates briefing memos based on that data.\n\nAccording to Fedorchak, the process is saving staff \"dozens and dozens of hours every week,\" allowing employees to focus on higher-priority legislative work.\n\n### Early Adoption Helped ChatGPT Gain Ground\n\nChatGPT's strong presence on Capitol Hill is linked to its early rollout within Congress.\n\nIn 2023, the House Digital Service distributed the first 40 ChatGPT Plus licenses to a bipartisan group of congressional staff. OpenAI also partnered with the Congressional Management Foundation to conduct training sessions for senior House and Senate employees.\n\n### AI Companies Increasing Washington Lobbying\n\nAs AI adoption grows across government, lobbying efforts by leading AI companies have also accelerated.\n\nFederal lobbying disclosures reviewed by Issue One show that OpenAI spent **$1 million on lobbying during the first quarter of 2026**, an increase of **82.5%** compared with the same period in 2025.\n\nAnthropic reported nearly **$1.6 million in first-quarter 2026 lobbying expenditures**, more than tripling its spending from a year earlier.\n\n### Experts Call for Broader AI Evaluation\n\n**Eric Petry** of the Brennan Center for Justice said lawmakers and congressional staff should gain practical experience with multiple AI platforms before developing regulations for the rapidly evolving technology.\n\nHe said evaluating a variety of AI systems would help ensure taxpayer money is spent on the most effective tools rather than favoring any particular company.\n","category_slug":"world","author":" Mukesh Kewat","author_avatar":"https://i.pravatar.cc/120?u=Bhandara%20Today","image":"http://api.bhandaratoday.com/uploads/2026/08/1785777624996-ChatGPT_Dominates_AI_Spending_.avif","read_time":"3 min read","status":"published","featured":false,"trending":true,"breaking":true,"views_count":0,"meta_title":"ChatGPT Dominates AI Spending in U.S. House Offices, Accou — Bhandara Today","meta_description":"**Washington:** ChatGPT captured nearly 90% of all identifiable artificial intelligence (AI) spending by U.S. House offices, committees, and inst... Read live updates on Bhandara Today.","seo_keywords":"Bhandara News, Maharashtra Politics, Breaking News, Live Updates","published_at":"2026-08-03T12:34:52.483Z","created_at":"2026-08-03T12:34:52.483Z","updated_at":"2026-08-03T17:20:40.135Z"},{"id":"u-1785748609404","title":"Breaking: Dangerous School Buildings Raise Safety Concerns Across Bhandara District","slug":"breaking-dangerous-school-buildings-raise-safety-concerns-across-bhandara-district","excerpt":"A growing infrastructure crisis has emerged in Bhandara district, where hundreds of the 794 Zilla Parishad school buildings have become old, unsafe, and structurally vulnerable, raising serious concerns about student safety. Despite the approval of funds for repairs and the construction of new classrooms, the pace of work remains disappointingly slow, leaving students exposed to potential risks. The prolonged delays have sparked widespread frustration and anger among parents, who are demanding immediate action from the authorities.","content":"Bhandara: Student Safety Under Threat\n\nA serious infrastructure crisis has emerged in Bhandara district, where hundreds of students continue to attend classes in unsafe and deteriorating school buildings. Despite the government's approval of crores of rupees for repairs and new classroom construction, implementation has remained sluggish, leaving parents deeply concerned about their children's safety.\n\nHundreds of Classrooms in Poor Condition\n\nAccording to official data, 794 Zilla Parishad schools operate across the district. Of these:\n\n415 schools have severely dilapidated classrooms.\n474 schools require major structural repairs.\n46 schools do not even have boundary walls, raising additional security concerns.\n\nThe condition of many classrooms includes cracked walls, damaged roofs, and weakened structures that pose a direct risk to students and teachers.\n\nSlow Repairs Despite Approved Funds\n\nThe Education Department sanctioned substantial funds during the 2024–25 and 2025–26 financial years to improve school infrastructure.\n\nFor 2025–26, authorities approved:\n\n106 special repair projects worth ₹7 crore.\n73 new classroom construction projects.\n\nHowever, several projects remain only 30–40% complete, while others are still unfinished, delaying much-needed safety improvements.\n\nMonsoon Increases the Danger\n\nThe ongoing monsoon has further exposed the vulnerability of aging school buildings. Roof leakages, falling plaster, damp walls, and weakened ceilings have made classrooms increasingly hazardous.\n\nParents have questioned how children can be expected to study safely under such conditions and have demanded immediate intervention before any unfortunate incident occurs.\n\nRight to Safe Education\n\nUnder the Right to Education (RTE) Act, every child has the right to receive education in a safe learning environment. However, the present condition of many government schools in Bhandara raises serious concerns about whether this basic right is being fully protected.\n\nAdministration Promises Faster Action\n\nOfficials say that repair work and new classroom construction are being accelerated. According to Sushil Kanhekar, Engineer, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Zilla Parishad Bhandara, the government has sanctioned significant funding over the past two years, and efforts are underway to complete pending projects and provide safer school infrastructure for thousands of students.\n\nParents and local residents, however, continue to urge authorities to move beyond approvals and paperwork, emphasizing that student safety cannot wait.","category_slug":"india","author":"Admin","author_avatar":"https://i.pravatar.cc/120?u=Admin","image":"http://api.bhandaratoday.com/uploads/2026/08/1785777655911-Dilapidated_classroom_in_a_Bha.webp","read_time":"2 min read","status":"published","featured":false,"trending":false,"breaking":true,"views_count":0,"meta_title":"Breaking: Dangerous School Buildings Raise Safety Concerns — Bhandara Today","meta_description":"Bhandara: Student Safety Under Threat\n\nA serious infrastructure crisis has emerged in Bhandara district, where hundreds of students continue to a... Read live updates on Bhandara Today.","seo_keywords":"Bhandara News, Maharashtra Politics, Breaking News, Live Updates","published_at":"2026-08-03T09:16:43.349Z","created_at":"2026-08-03T09:16:43.349Z","updated_at":"2026-08-03T17:20:57.903Z"}]