नेपाल की 18 साल की लड़की सबसे लंबे नृत्य के लिए गिनीज वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड बनाती है

नेपाल की एक 18 वर्षीय लड़की जिसका नाम बंदना है, ने एक व्यक्ति द्वारा 'सबसे लंबे नृत्य मैराथन' पर गिनीज वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड बनाया। उन्होंने केवल 126 घंटे (पांच दिनों से अधिक) तक लगातार नेपाली संगीत पर नृत्य किया।

पुराना रिकॉर्ड

उसने भारत के कलामंडलम हेमलता द्वारा स्थापित रिकॉर्ड तोड़ दिया, जिसने 2011 में 123 घंटे और 15 मिनट तक लगातार नृत्य किया था।

उन्होंने शास्त्रीय नृत्य रूप मोहिनीअट्टम का प्रदर्शन किया था और 37 वर्ष की आयु में रिकॉर्ड बनाया था।


गिनीज वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड्स के बारे में


1933 से 2000 तक इसकी स्थापना के बाद से इसे 'द गिनीज बुक ऑफ रिकॉर्ड्स' के रूप में जाना जाता था, बाद में इसका नाम बदलकर गिनीज वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड्स कर दिया गया। 

यह एक संदर्भ पुस्तक है जो रिकॉर्ड-ब्रेकिंग उपलब्धियों को सूचीबद्ध करती है। 

यह सालाना प्रकाशित होता है।

The CFTRI to send food to Cyclone Fani hit areas

Mysore based Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), has prepared nearly one lakh meals for the distribution in cyclone Fani hit areas of the Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and the West Bengal.

The severe cyclonic storm named Cyclone Fani had recently made a landfall impact on May 3, 2019 in Puri on the Odisha coast.

About the CFTRI

It is a premier food research laboratory under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T), Government of India.

It is the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) constituent laboratory.

It was established in the 1950 and is headquartered in the Mysore, Karnataka. Its resource centers are in Hyderabad, Lucknow and Mumbai.

Functions

It develops the technologies to increase efficiency and reduce the post-harvest crop losses, increase export, add conveniences and find new sources of food products, integrate human resources in food industries, reduce costs and modernize the supply chains.

Some of its research areas are Food engineering, food biotechnology, microbiology, grain sciences, sensory science, Biochemistry, Molecular Nutrition and food safety.

Past Initiatives

In past disaster, the CFTRI has sent food and relief material to Kerala during the floods in 2018 and in 2013 flood victims of Uttarakhand.

World Press Freedom Day observed on 3 May

The World Press Freedom Day 2019 is observed on the 3 May 2019. It is being jointly organized by the UNESCO, African Union Commission and Government of Ethiopia. The year 2019 marks 26th celebration of the WPFD. The main event is being held at African Union Headquarters at Addis Ababa.

The World Press Freedom Day
It is observed to raise awareness about the importance of freedom of press and freedom of expression as the fundamental human rights. WPFD reminds governments of their obligation to respect and uphold right to freedom of expression defined under the Article 19 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948.

Objective: It aims the celebrating fundamental principles of press freedom, assessing state of press freedom worldwide, defending media against attacks on their independence, and to pay tribute to the journalists who have lost their lives while doing their duty.

Theme for World Press Freedom Day 2019 was “Media for Democracy: Journalism and Elections in Times of Disinformation”. It examines current challenges faced by media at the time of elections, and media’s potential in the supporting peace and reconciliation processes.

Background

In the December 1993 UN General Assembly (UNGA) following the recommendation of UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed that the 3 May as World Press Freedom Day. Since then is celebrated worldwide every year.

‘May 3’ was selected to commemorate adaptation of ‘The Windhoek Declaration’ (a draft by African journalists for development of a Free, Independent and African Pluralistic Press) on the 3 May 1991.

Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian appointed as the Advisory Council Member in the 15th Finance Commission

The Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) to Central government, Dr. Krishnamurthy Subramanian is appointed as the twelfth (12) member of Advisory Council of Fifteenth (15th) Finance Commission (FCc).

Advisory Council

It now has the 12 members, which include noted economists Surjit Bhalla, Arvind Virmani, Indira Rajaraman and M Govinda Rao among others.

Role and Function:

To is to advise FC on any relevant matter or subject related to Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Commission.
To assists FC in preparing any research paper or study which would enhance the commission’s understanding on issue contained in its ToR.
To help expand FC understanding in adopting best national and international practices on matters of fiscal devolution and
To help improve quality, reach and enforcement of the FC recommendations.

Finance Commission:-

It is the constituted under article 280 of Constitution by the President of India. It mainly gives its recommendations on the tax devolution i.e. distribution of tax revenues between Union and States and amongst the states themselves.
It is appointed for a period of five years and comprise of five member including one chairman and four other members.

First FC was constituted under the chairmanship of Shri K.C. Neogy on the 6th April, 1952.
Fifteenth Finance Commission
It was constituted in November 2017, to give recommendations for tax devolution and other fiscal matter for five fiscal years, 1 April 2020- 31 March 2025.

It is chaired by the N. K. Singh, and members Ajay Narayan Jha, Ashok Lahiri and Anoop Singh. TRamesh Chand is a part-time member in the FC.

Shops and Businesses in Gujarat can now remain Open 24X7

‘Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2019’ came into force from the May 1st. It allows that shops, commercial establishments and businesses running in state can now remain open round the clock (24X7). The act was passed by state Assembly in the February 2019, but was notified on occasion of ghe Gujarat’s foundation day, 1 May 1960.

Key Highlights: Gujarat Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act 2019
It replaces the ‘Gujarat Shops and Establishments Act of 1948’ which prohibited shops and other businesses from remaining open between 12 am to 6 am.
Now shops and commercial establishments employing less than ten persons will need no registration and those who is employing more than 10 workers will require one-time registration with no need for annual renewal.
Working hours for the women employees can be only between 6 am and 9 pm. It could be relaxed if after considering safety issues authorities make a written request.

Benefits

Increase the Employment: 

In Gujarat about seven lakh shops and businesses employ less than ten persons and generate direct employment of about the 10-12 lakh persons. As per new law they do not require registration.

Overtime Perks: 

Employees working overtime will get paid twice their pay, against one and half time under previous law.
Biggest beneficiaries of amendments to existing law would be markets, malls, food outlets and retailers, especially during the festive season.

CURRENT AFFAIRS in 2019.

CURRENT AFFAIRS in 2019.

01. Digital Detox App by SHUT Clinic.

बेंगलुरु के नेशनल इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ मेंटल हेल्थ एंड न्यूरो साइंसेज (NIMHANS) के डॉक्टर एक ऐसा मोबाइल ऐप लेकर आए हैं, जो लोगों को मोबाइल का इस्तेमाल कम करने में मदद करेगा।.

02. 2019: वर्षगाँठ का एक समूह

महात्मा गांधी के जन्म की 150 वीं वर्षगांठ

मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब की मृत्यु की 150 वीं वर्षगांठ

भारत सरकार अधिनियम 1919 की 100 वीं वर्षगांठ

रौलट एक्ट या ब्लैक एक्ट की 100 वीं वर्षगांठ

जलियांवाला बाग हत्याकांड की 100 वीं बरसी

सितंबर-अक्टूबर 1969 के गुजरात दंगों की 50 वीं वर्षगांठ

बाहरी अंतरिक्ष में जाने वाले पहले भारतीय की 35 वीं वर्षगांठ

ऑपरेशन ब्लू स्टार की 35 वीं वर्षगांठ.

03. 2018 राष्ट्रीय महत्व के स्मारक

एएसआई(ASI) ने 2018 में राष्ट्रीय महत्व के 6 स्मारकों को घोषित किया।

महाराष्ट्र के नागपुर में 125 साल पुरानी पुरानी हाईकोर्ट बिल्डिंग

आगरा में मुगल-युग का स्मारक - आगा खान की हवेली

आगरा में मुगल-युग का स्मारक - हाथी खाना

राजस्थान के अलवर जिले में प्राचीन नीमराना बाउरी

ओडिशा के बोलनगीर में रानीपुर झारिल में मंदिरों का समूह; तथा

कोतली, पिथौरागढ़ जिले, उत्तराखंड में विष्णु मंदिर,

NOTES:-

देश में एएसआई के तहत 3,686 केन्द्र संरक्षित स्मारक / स्थल थे;

संख्या अब बढ़कर 3,693 हो गई है।

उत्तर प्रदेश (745 स्मारक / स्थल), कर्नाटक (506) और तमिलनाडु (413)

04. Sudhir Bhargava is the current and ninth Chief Information Commissioner of India.

NOTES:

CIC is the highest appeal body under the Right to Information Act.

Central Information Commission (CIC) set up under the Right to Information Act is the authorized body, established in 2005.

CIC and members are appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of a committee consisting of—Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha; a Union Cabinet Minister to be nominated by the Prime Minister.

04.China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS).

Pakistan become the first country to use the BeiDou system ending its reliance on the Global Positioning System (GPS).

BDS serving China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region in 2012.

It will be the 4^th global satellite navigation system after the (01)US GPS, (02)Russia’s GLONASS and the (03)European Union’s Galileo.

India too is building its own navigational system called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NAVIC.

The total number of satellite navigation patent applications in China has reached 54,000, ranking first in the world.

05. The Union Cabinet approved the uniting of the three banks, with Bank of Baroda as the transferee bank, and Vijaya and Dena as transferor banks.

06. Morocco has been named the 2^nd best performing country after the Sweden in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI).

With the connection of the world’s largest solar plant to the grid, Morocco is on track for complete its target of 42% installed renewable energy capacities by 2020.

Saraswati Samman 2018

Telugu poet K Siva Reddy has been selected for prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2018. He has been awarded for his work Pakkaki Ottigilite which is a collection of the poetry.
K Siva Reddy was born in 1943 in a farmer’s family in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur. He is considered as the most renowned modern poets in Telugu. Siva Reddy has also published critical essays on the poetry.
Pakkaki Ottigilite was published in 2016. It is an anthology of 104 poems in blank verse. It captures the responses of the poet over the years to social change, the evolution of his own self and his dynamic relationship with the world.

About the Saraswati Samman Awards

The Saraswati Samman Award was instituted by the KK Birla Foundation in the year 1991. It is given annually for an outstanding literary work written in any official Indian language and published during the preceding 10 years. It carries a cash purse of Rs 15 lakh, apart from a citation and a plaque.

Other popular literary awards constituted by the Birla Foundation are the Vyas Samman (for Hindi) and Bihari Puraskar (for Hindi and Rajasthani writers of Rajasthan).

The Sub-sonic Cruise Missile ‘Nirbhay’ Successfully Test-Fired

India’s first indigenously designed and developed the long-range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from a test range Chandipur, Odisha state.

About the Nirbhay Missile

Nirbhay missile has blended missile and aeronautical technologies which allows it to take off vertically like the missile and cruise horizontally like an aircraft.

This missile has a two-stage missile powered by solid rocket motor booster developed by the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL).

Nirbhay Missile has an operational range of 1000 km & can carry warheads of up to 300 kg including the nuclear warheads.

It can be launched from various kind of platforms.

It can travel with the turbofan or turbojet engine and is guided by the highly advanced inertial navigation system.

It has the capability to loiter and cruise at 0.7 Mach, at altitudes as low as 100m.

It is terrain hugging missile which keeps on encircling the area of its target for several minutes and then hits bull’s eye’ on an opportune time.

It is difficult to detect by the enemy’s radars. It is capable to engage several targets in the single flight.

The guidance, control and navigation system of missile is configured around indigenously designed that is Ring Laser Gyroscope (RLG) and MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS) along with the GPS system.

It was the sixth experimental test of Nirbhay missile system and it achieved all mission objectives right from lift-off till the final splash, boosting the confidence of all the scientists associated with this trial.

Ministry of External Affairs sets up the Indo-Pacific Wing

The Ministry of External Affairs has set up an Indo-Pacific division in the foreign oarticulatis
.Into this Indo-pacific division is intended to give a coherent architecture to the Indo-Pacific policy articulated by PM Narendra Modi at the Shangri-La Dialogue in 2018.

Know about Indo-Pacific Wing

The Indo-Pacific Wing is currently headed by the joint secretary Vikram Doraiswami.

The Indo-Pacific Wing is a big step by the government and it is expected to give thrust to the Indo-Pacific centred policymaking.

The Indo-Pacific Wing integrates Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), ASEAN region and the Quad.

The Indo-Pacific diplomacy of India India has repeatedly placed ASEAN at the centre of its policy. Even the US has recently renamed its Pacific Command to Indo-Pacific Command as it seeks to give teeth to its Indo-Pacific policy.

current affairs notes

01.NATIONAL SECURITY ACT.

The National Security Act of 1980 is an act of the Indian Parliament promulgated on 23 September 1980 whose purpose is "to provide for preventive detention in certain cases and for matters connected therewith". The act extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir.


02.SECTION 124-A OF THE INDIAN PENAL CODE.

Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government established by law in India, a shall be punished with imprisonment for life, to which fine may be added, or with imprisonment which may extend to three years, to which fine may be added, or with fine.

Popular cases where sedition law was
used recently Dr. Vinayak Binayak Sen v. State of
Chhattisgarh

Kanhaiya Kumar v. State (NCT of
Delhi)

V.A. Pugalenthi v. State (Tamil Nadu).

03.Chabahar Port

Chabahar Port is a seaport in Chabahar located in southeastern Iran, on the Gulf of Oman. It serves as Iran's only oceanic port and consists of two separate ports named Shahid Kalantari and Shahid Beheshti, each of which has five berths.

04.The 1949 Geneva Conventions

The first Geneva Convention protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during war.

This Convention represents the fourth updated version of the Geneva Convention on the wounded and sick following those adopted in 1864, 1906 and 1929. It contains 64 articles. These provide protection for the wounded and sick, but also for medical and religious personnel, medical units and medical transports. The Convention also recognizes the distinctive emblems. It has two annexes containing a draft agreement relating to hospital zones and a model identity card for medical and religious personnel.


The second Geneva Convention protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during the war.

This Convention replaced the Hague Convention of 1907 for the Adaptation to Maritime Warfare of the Principles of the Geneva Convention. It closely follows the provisions of the first Geneva Convention in structure and content. It has 63 articles specifically applicable to war at sea. For example, it protects hospital ships. It has one annex containing a model identity card for medical and religious personnel.



The third Geneva Convention applies to prisoners of war.

This Convention replaced the Prisoners of War Convention of 1929. It contains 143 articles whereas the 1929 Convention had only 97. The categories of persons entitled to prisoner of war status were broadened in accordance with Conventions I and II. The conditions and places of captivity were more precisely defined, particularly with regard to the labour of prisoners of war, their financial resources, the relief they receive, and the judicial proceedings instituted against them. The Convention establishes the principle that prisoners of war shall be released and repatriated without delay after the cessation of active hostilities. The Convention has five annexes containing various model regulations and identity and other cards.

The fourth Geneva Convention affords protection to civilians, including in occupied territory.

The Geneva Conventions, which were adopted before 1949. were concerned with combatants only, not with civilians. The events of World War II showed the disastrous consequences of the absence of a convention for the protection of civilians in wartime. The Convention adopted in 1949 takes account of the experiences of World War II. It is composed of 159 articles. It contains a short section concerning the general protection of populations against certain consequences of war, without addressing the conduct of hostilities, as such, which was later examined in the Additional Protocols of 1977. The bulk of the Convention deals with the status and treatment of protected persons, distinguishing between the situation of foreigners on the territory of one of the parties to the conflict and that of civilians in occupied territory. It spells out the obligations of the Occupying Power vis-à-vis the civilian population and contains detailed provisions on humanitarian relief for populations in occupied territory. It also contains a specific regime for the treatment of civilian internees. It has three annexes containing a model agreement on hospital and safety zones, model regulations on humanitarian relief and model cards. 

Indian Cities and Air Pollution.

Air Pollution levels at the Indian cities are at an alarming level. Various Reports have time and again tried to shed light on  quantum of the problem.

Air Pollution and Indian Cities

A Delhi based Environment Body claims that the Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency, is ranked third on the WHO’s list of 15 most polluted cities and the situation is “deteriorating” as its MP has focused on the beautification and infrastructure.

In the ‘Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019’ report, released by the Climate Trends Delhi is ranked sixth on the list. The report states that there has been “laziness” on part of its elected caretakers in tackling air pollution in the city.

As per the World Health Organisation, (WHO) list of most polluted cities, 14 of the 15 most polluted cities in the world are in the India of which four are in Uttar Pradesh.

WHO report states that the Prime Minister’s parliamentary constituency Varanasi in the Uttar Pradesh is witnessing a rise in the number of people suffering from allergies and respiratory problems due to a “lot” of construction in the city.

Kanpur in the Uttar Pradesh is the most polluted city in the world. Kanpur is ranked one on the list. Faridabad in Haryana has been ranked second and the Varanasi has been ranked third.

Gaya and Patna in the Bihar are fourth and fifth on the list.

The Delhi has been ranked sixth and Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow is ranked seventh.

The report by the climate trends claimed MPs of Lucknow and Kanpur — Home Minister Rajnath Singh and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi respectively — have mostly been silent on the issue of air pollution in their respective constituencies.

The Other cities in the WHO list of polluted cities are Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurugram, Jaipur, Patiala and Jodhpur.

Air Quality Index

Air Quality Index between 0 and 50 is considered “good”, 51 and 100 “satisfactory”, 101 and 200 “moderate”, 201 and 300 “poor”, 301 and 400 “very poor”, and 401 and 500 “severe”, as per the pollution control authorities.

Rajouri Day Celebrated on the April 13.

Rajouri Day was celebrated on the April 13 to commemorate the bravery and valour of the soldiers who laid down their lives for the liberation of the Rajouri district.

Rajouri Day: Significance and Genesis

The Partition of India and the accession of the Jammu and Kashmir to India in October 1947 was followed by the First Kashmir War between the India and Pakistan. The Pakistani raiders, along with the rebels and deserters from the western districts of the state, captured Rajouri on the 7 November 1947.

More than 30,000 Hindus and Sikhs living in Rajouri were reportedly killed, wounded or abducted.

Rajouri was recaptured on the 12 April 1948 from rebels and Pakistan Army personnel who had infiltrated from across the border by the 19 Infantry Brigade of the Indian Army under the command of Second Lieutenant Rama Raghoba Rane.

Having destroyed most of the town and killing large number its inhabitants the captors had fled by the time Indian Army entered the town. After the arrival of the Army, some 1,500 refugees who had fled to the hills, including women and children, returned to the town.

‘Rajouri Day’ is celebrated on the April 13 every year to commemorate the bravery and valour of the Indian Army soldiers who laid down their lives for the liberation of the Rajouri district from rebels and Pakistan Army.

The Utkarsh Bangla and Sabooj Sathi Schemes of the West Bengal gets Global Recognition

The schemes of the West Bengal government ‘Utkarsh Bangla’ (skill training of youth) and ‘Sabooj Sathi’ (cycles for students) won the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) awards of the UN.
Utkarsh Bangla got the topmost award and emerged as the winner in the Capacity Building category and the Sabooj Sathi was ranked in the first five as a champion project under the ICT application: E-Government category.

Utkarsh Bangla

Utkarsh Bangla Scheme is aimed at providing vocational training to the school dropouts. The beneficiaries of the scheme will be trained in the driving, tailoring, repairing television and other electronic equipment’s, beautician courses etc.

Sabooj Sathi

Sabooj Sathi is a scheme of West Bengal government for distribution of bicycles to the students of class IX to XII studying in Govt. run and Govt. aided Schools and Madrashas.The scheme was launched in the September 2015.

World Summit on the Information Society Awards

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Awards were instituted as per requests from the WSIS stakeholders to create an effective mechanism to evaluate and recognize the individuals, governments, civil society, local, regional and international agencies, research institutions and the private-sector companies for outstanding success in implementing development oriented strategies that leverage the power of ICTs as an enabler of the development.
WSIS is a global multi-stakeholder platform facilitating the implementation of the WSIS Action Lines for advancing sustainable development. The summit is co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD, in close collaboration with other UN organizations.
The Summit provides an opportunity for information exchange, knowledge creation and sharing of best practices, while identifying emerging trends and fostering partnerships, taking into account the evolving Information and Knowledge Societies.

State of World Population 2019.

The United Nations Population Fund(UNPF) has released the State of World Population 2019 report.

Findings of the Report

India’s population grew at an average annual rate of the 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion. It was more than double the annual growth rate of the China.

India’s population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion. And the population has grown from 942.2 million in 1994 and 541.5 million in 1969.

The China’s population stood at 1.42 billion in 2019. China’s population increased from 1.23 billion in 1994 and 803.6 million in 1969.

China’s population grew at an average annual rate of the 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019.

The total fertility rate per woman was 5.6 in 1969. It dropped to 3.7 in 1994 and 2.3 in 2019.

India has recorded an improvement in the life expectancy at birth. The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in the 2019.

27 per cent of India’s population was in the age bracket of 0-14 years and 10-24 years each, while 67 per cent of India’s population was in the 15-64 age bracket. Six per cent of India’s population was of the age 65 and the above.

Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the country dropped from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in the 2015.

The absence of reproductive and sexual rights has major and negative repercussions on women’s education, income and safety in the India, leaving them unable to shape their own futures.

Early marriage continues to present a major cultural obstacle to female empowerment and better the reproductive rights.

The report for the first time has published data on women’s ability to make decisions over three key areas: sexual intercourse with their partner, contraception use and health care.
The Report Looking ahead to future challenges highlights the threat to women’s and girls’ reproductive rights posed by the emergencies caused by conflict or climate disasters.

Financial Sector Assessment Programme for India

The Report of the Financial Sector Assessment Programme for India by International Monetary Fund (IMF) makes the following recommendations:

The level of non-performing loans in India remains high and the IMF has favoured bolstering the level of capitalisation of some banks, particularly government-owned banks.

Together with capitalisation, the report asks for resolution and the recognition of Non-performing loans as part of the process of cleaning up the banking system of the non-performing loans,

The report notes that there were some steps that were taken by the authorities to boost the capital buffers in banks and also to improve governance in the state-owned banks that have had some positive impact.

Financial Sector Assessment Programme

The FSAP includes two major components: a financial stability assessment, which is the responsibility of the IMF, and the financial development assessment, the responsibility of the World Bank.
Financial Sector Assessment Programme of the IMF aims to:

To gauge the stability and the soundness of the financial sector.

To assess its potential contribution to growth and development.

The Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) is a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of a country’s financial sector.

RTI Act supersedes Official Secrets Law

Delivering a separate judgment in the Rafale case, Justice K.M. Joseph has made the following observations:

The Right to Information Act confers on ordinary citizens the ‘priceless right’ to demand information even in the matters affecting national security and relations with a foreign state.

Justice Joseph’s judgment countered the claim made by government for privilege over Rafale purchase documents under the Official Secrets Act (OSA), saying it affected national security and relations with the France.

Justice Joseph said the Right to Information (RTI) Act overawes the OSA.

Under the Section 8(2) of the RTI Act, the government cannot refuse information if disclosure in public interest overshadows certain ‘protected interests.’

Justice Joseph in his judgment has stated that through Section 8(2) of the RTI Act, the Parliament has appreciated that it may be necessary to pit one interest against another and to compare the relative harm and then decide either to disclose or to decline information. If the higher public interest is established, it is the will of Parliament that the greater good should prevail though at the cost of lesser harm being still occasioned.