PM unveils model of Netaji memorial Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled the model of a memorial dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, to be set up in Andaman and Nicobar To mark Netaji’s 126th birth anniversary, Modi also named 21 islands of the Union Territory after Param Vir Chakra awardees Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays homage to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on Parakram Diwas, in New Delhi on Monday | ANI tirupati l tuesday l january 24, 2023 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI 80,000 Indians in US face layoff heat Have to find a new job within two months or leave the country; share plight on social media platforms; Spotify to cut its staff base by 6% u M A kA N N A N @ Bengaluru WITH a series of layoff announcements by all top tech companies globally in recent weeks, reports suggest that 60,000-80,000 Indian IT professionals in the US have lost jobs. A majority of them are said to be on H-1B and L1 visas, who will have to find another job within 60 days or pack up. Microsoft, Meta, Amazon and Alphabet together have laid off 51,000 employees. Till now, 311,592 employees have lost jobs, according to Layoffs.fyi, which compiles data from public reports and tracks layoffs. In 2023 alone, 174 tech companies laid off 56,570 employees. Many affected Indians have shared their stories on various social media platforms. Mon- ambigha M, one of the impacted Google employees, said in a LinkedIn post that she must spring back into action as being an immigrant on an H-1B visa does not give her the flexibility to take time off. She joined Google only 10 months ago. After working with Google for three years and six months, Kunal Kumar Gupta received the termination mail. “I am immediately open to work and would need immediate assistance to find a role as I am on an H-1B visa which gives me 60 days to find a job,” Gupta said. Meanwhile, Swedish music streaming firm Spotify on Monday announced that it is reducing its employee base by 6%, or about 600 employees. In a note to employees, CEO Daniel Ek said, “While we have made express read Govt issues show cause notice to APGEA Vijayawada: The government issued a show cause notice to AP Govt Employees’ Association (APGEA) seeking an explanation why its recognition should not be cancelled. The govt took objection to the leaders speaking to media on employees’ issues | P4 TTD in talks with BEL to for anti-drone system Tirumala: Days after a video of Srivari temple, allegedly shot with a drone camera went viral, TTD is in talks with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to instal a Naval Anti-Drone System (NADS) to detect and prevent use of drones over the hill, a No-Fly Zone | P3 APCID chief Sunil Kumar transferred Vijayawada: The State government on Monday transferred Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (APCID) chief PV Sunil Kumar and directed him to report to the General Administration Department (GAD) until further orders. Kumar will be replaced by AP State Disaster Response and Fire Services Department director general N Sanjay | P4 great progress in improving speed in the last few years, we haven’t focused as much on improving efficiency... And in a challenging economic environment, efficiency takes on greater importance. So, in an effort to drive more efficiency control , costs... I have decided to restructure our organisation.” According to HR experts, it is not difficult for those who lost jobs in the US to find one in India. Vijay Sivaram, CEO of Quess IT Staffing, expects hiring intent for IT professionals across tech and non-tech companies to revert to its pre-pandemic levels. “Hot skills such as full stack engineers, data analysts and scientists, DevOps specialists, and cloud engineers will be sought after,” he said. 200,000 Tech employees lost jobs in the US since November 30-40% Spotify Swedish music streaming company decides to trim 6% of its workforce, or 600 employees Of the affected are Indian IT professionals who are on H-1B and L1 visas 60 days Grace period for non-immigrant visa holders to find another job, or they will have to leave the US ‘Vacation bench acted as HC lawyer de-facto CJ in GO.1 case’ collects E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ V i j aya w a d a A division bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court headed by Chief Justice Prasanth Kumar Mishra on Monday rapped the vacation bench for hurriedly hearing the petition challenging GO 1, issued by the State government, in violation of its orders with regard to the nature of the cases that are heard during vacations. Finding fault with the vacation bench, the CJ said it acted as a de-facto Chief Justice by taking up the GO 1 case. The division bench said hearing a plea against the orders during vacations is belittling the position of the Chief Justice. “It is not a matter that can be taken lightly If such things are allowed, every va. cation judge will act like a Chief Justice,” the division bench observed. Chief Justice Mishra said the HC registry has been updating him on the developments in the case. He added there is a need to act tough on matters that are exclusively reserved to a Chief Justice. “If every vacation court takes up any matter saying it’s important then what would happen to the institution,” the Chief Justice questioned. The division bench made these comments while hearing the petition filed by CPI State secretary K Ramakrishna challenging the GO 1 issued by the State government restricting P5 public meetings on highways and roads.  Judges don’t face poll, but people are watching: Rijiju S H R U T I K A K K AR @ New Delhi Union law minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday threw another barb at the judiciary, saying though judges don’t face public scrutiny or polling like politicians, people are definitely watching and forming opinions based on their performance. Speaking at a Delhi Bar Association event, Rijiju said, “Judges don’t have to face elections. They are also not subjected to public scrutiny. Although the public can’t elect judges, they are watching them. Their judg- ments, the way they work and on a “mass scale”. “CJI told me the manner in which they dis- that there should be some repense justice, people are looking strictions on social media. CJI and are also forming an asked us to take some opinion. In the age of stern steps against peosocial media, nothing ple who are commentcan be hidden.” ing on judges. We are After Chief Justice of considering it. But when India D Y Chandrapeople are criticising at chud’s request for impoa mass scale, what can sition of restrictions on we do?” Rijiju asked. social media against adReiterating that his verse comments on letter to the CJI dated Kiren Rijiju judges, the Centre is January 6, did not seek considering to take stern steps, government nominees on the he said, but wondered what collegium, he said it was meant could be done if the criticism is as a follow up of the SC’s verdict in the NJAC case. “I wrote a letter to CJI on 6th Jan... Nobody knew about this for 2/3 days but someone got to know and the headline was that law minister has written a letter to CJI for government representatives in collegium.... Collegium consist of five judges, how can I add someone else in the collegium?” Rijiju asked. He said the Centre respects the judiciary as its independence is absolutely necessary for democracy “If the dignity of ju. diciary is lowered, then it can’t be protected,” he said. kickbacks for judges P RA M DAS @ Kochi IS there a price tag to get favourable verdicts? That is what a leading lawyer practising in the Kerala High Court had his clients believe when he collected lakhs of rupees from them. The money he , told them, was meant as kickbacks for HC judges. The shocking revelation was made in the report submitted by the HC’s vigilance wing after a detailed probe into the dealings of lawyer Saiby Jose Kidangoor. The probe was launched following revelations by HC lawyers as well as a directive from the court. The wing found several instances of Saiby collecting huge sums of money from clients by taking the names of three judges of the Kerala High Court. The HC vigilance wing recorded statements from several lawyers. One said Saiby allegedly received `25 lakh from a client to be given as bribe to a judge. Another lawyer put the number at `50 lakh. A third lawyer said Saiby collected `25 lakh from a film producer, accused in a case, claiming some amount was for a judge. The probe officer concluded that Saiby’s acts violated Section 35 of the Advocates Act.