Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut has stirred controversy in Himachal Pradesh after alleging unusually high electricity bills at her Manali residence. The BJP Lok Sabha MP from Mandi claimed she received a bill of Rs 1 lakh despite not living at the house, triggering a sharp exchange with the state’s Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh.

Speaking at a public meeting in her constituency recently, Kangana Ranaut criticised the Congress-led state government for inflated electricity bills. A video of her remarks went viral on social media, where she claimed, “I received an electricity bill of Rs 1 lakh for one month for my house in Manali. I don’t even live there. It is such a miserable condition.”

She further questioned the massive rise in billing, claiming her earlier charges of Rs 5,000 had surged to Rs 80,000. “Am I running a factory in my house?” she asked.

Minister alleges unpaid dues, calls out mischief

In response, Himachal minister Vikramaditya Singh accused Ranaut of making misleading statements and not paying her dues. In a Facebook post, Singh wrote, “Mohtarma badi shararat karti hai, bijli ka bill nahin bharti hai, phir manch par sarkar ko kosti hai, aisa kaisa chalega” — implying that the MP was deliberately avoiding bill payments and then publicly criticising the government.

He further said that such conduct was unbecoming of a public representative, especially while raising allegations without first settling pending dues.

Electricity board confirms non-payment and high load

According to the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL), Ranaut has not paid electricity bills amounting to Rs 90,384 for January and February, which also include old dues of Rs 32,287. The HPSEB clarified that the domestic connection registered in her name at her Simsa village residence in Manali has a connected load of 94.82 KW — about 1,500% higher than an average household.

Additionally, the board stated that Ranaut had defaulted on payments from October to December as well.

Hitting back at Singh’s remarks, Kangana declared during another public event in Sarkaghat, “If Vikramaditya Singh is a Raja babu, I am also a queen,” referring to her cinematic persona and his royal lineage as the son of late Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Congress state chief Pratibha Singh.

On Thursday, the Opposition INDIA bloc called for the immediate repeal of Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP), arguing that it undermines the foundational principles of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.

The demand was made during a joint press conference in New Delhi, led by Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi, who announced that over 120 MPs from INDIA bloc parties, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, have endorsed a memorandum to this effect. The document is set to be submitted to Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The press conference saw participation from prominent opposition figures, including MM Abdulla (DMK), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena-UBT), John Brittas (CPI-M), Javed Ali Khan (Samajwadi Party), and Naval Kishor (RJD), reflecting a united front against the controversial provision.

Gogoi emphasized that civil rights activists have also raised strong objections to Section 44(3), which they claim effectively dismantles the transparency guaranteed by the RTI Act.

Under the original Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, public authorities could withhold personal information if its disclosure bore no relation to public activity or interest, or if it constituted an unwarranted invasion of privacy. However, this restriction came with a critical safeguard: the Central or State Public Information Officer, or an appellate authority, could override the exemption if disclosing the information served a greater public good.

In contrast, Section 44(3) of the DPDP Act amends this provision to allow government bodies to withhold any “information which relates to personal information” without exceptions or consideration of public interest. Critics, including the INDIA bloc, argue that this blanket restriction eliminates the balance between privacy and transparency that the RTI Act sought to maintain, effectively shielding government actions from scrutiny.

Gogoi described the amendment as a direct assault on democratic accountability, stating, “This change destroys the spirit of the RTI Act, which has been a cornerstone of citizens’ rights to information. We cannot allow such a rollback of transparency.” The opposition’s push to repeal the section underscores broader concerns about the government’s approach to data protection and its potential to erode public access to information.

In a tragic incident on April 9, an Air India Express pilot suffered a fatal cardiac arrest shortly after landing a flight from Srinagar to Delhi at Indira Gandhi International Airport. The airline confirmed the sudden demise, which has left colleagues and the aviation community in shock.

According to Air India Express, the pilot, identified as Armaan, began feeling unwell immediately after the aircraft touched down in Delhi. He was quickly taken to a nearby hospital, where medical personnel declared him deceased.

Colleagues later revealed that Armaan had vomited inside the cockpit following the landing and subsequently collapsed at the airline’s dispatch office at the airport, where he suffered the cardiac arrest, as per the reports.

In a statement, an Air India Express spokesperson expressed deep sorrow, saying, “We deeply regret the loss of a valued colleague due to a medical condition. Our thoughts are with his family during this time of profound grief. We are extending all possible support to them as we collectively cope with this tremendous loss. We request all concerned to respect their privacy and refrain from speculation while we assist the relevant authorities in their processes.”

The incident has raised concerns about the health and working conditions of pilots, especially as the aviation industry faces scrutiny over fatigue and stress. In a related development, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has postponed the implementation of new pilot rest rules, originally scheduled for June 2024. These updated Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms were designed to enhance pilot well-being by increasing weekly rest from 36 to 48 hours and reducing night flying hours from 13 to 10, aiming to combat fatigue.

However, airlines had requested additional time—approximately 8 to 10 months—to comply, arguing that the changes would require hiring 20–25 percent more pilots. Despite initially insisting on the deadline, the DGCA has now allowed carriers to continue operating under the 2019 rules until their revised plans are approved. Officials stated that the delay would provide an opportunity for further review and refinement of the regulations to ensure they are practical and effective.