Measures against spam calls and fraudulent messages
Department of Telecommunications has proposed to make it mandatory that the identity of a
person sending a message or calling should be visible to the receiver irrespective of the platform
used for communication.
● Focus of the proposed telecom Bill was to ensure protection of users.
● Protection of users would not be limited to calls made via landline or normal voice calls,
but all types of calls such as those made on WhatsApp, Zoom calls and FaceTime.
● The draft Bill seeks to replace the existing legal framework comprising the Indian
Telegraph Act, 1885, the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933 and the Telegraph Wires
(Unlawful Possession) Act, 1950, that currently govern the telecommunication sector in
the country
New provisions
● It includes provisions such as waiving dues for financially stressed operators, bringing
over the top platforms (such as WhatsApp, Zoom, Netflix) within the ambit of telecom
services.
Context of Privacy and India
● The Puttaswamy judgement holds that the right to privacy is protected as a fundamental
constitutional right under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
● Concerns about surveillance all across the globe due to Cambridge analytical and other
scandals.
● Economic Survey also highlights the falling marginal cost of data that has led to a data
explosion.
Background
● Privacy has been defined by the US judiciary as the right to be let alone. This concept is
now being deemed by experts as insufficient in a large interconnected world.
● The Supreme Court of India opined (in Ram Jethmalani vs Union of India case.) that “it
is important that human beings should be allowed domains of freedom that are free of
public scrutiny unless they act in an unlawful manner.”
● Privacy ensures that freedom of speech and expression survives. This is because once we
are put under surveillance we will start to censor ourselves for fear of state action.
● Democratic ideals of Pluralism and diversity start in the mind. And only an unfettered
mind free from fear can appreciate and revel in these ideals.
● Facebook, Equifax, etc were also under fire for violating user privacy and using unethical
means to track users’ lifestyle and movements.
What are the Concerns regarding Privacy in India?
● Unregulated access to data can lead to the suppression of dissent and censorship.
Journalists, Human Rights Activists etc. can be put under an invisible prison of
surveillance.
● Law enforcement officials across the world are also accused of unauthorised data
collection, data mining to predict travel plans etc to put citizen’s reputation at risk.
● Private details like travel details, shopping history financial details etc are used to create
online granular profiles which are then sometimes used to spread specifically crafted fake
news. This has increased the potency of fake news in the country.
● GDPR(General Data Protection Regulation)rules framed by the European Union (EU)
has become a model for the world when it comes to privacy. Right to be forgotten is also
in effect in the EU.
● SC in previous judgements has also asserted the need for a right to reputation. The
society must be mature enough to understand in order to preserve reputations privacy is
crucial.
Background on draft personal data protection Bill 2018 recommended Justice B.N.
Srikrishna committee
● The draft bill recognises the ‘right to privacy’ as a fundamental right.
● The law does not have retrospective effect.
● The draft has recommended setting up a Data Protection Authority to prevent misuse of
personal information. The draft Bill also provides for setting up an Appellate Tribunal.
● The penalty would be Rs.15 crore or 4% of the total worldwide turnover of any data
collection/processing entity, for violating provisions.
● The three facets – the individual, the state and the industry – is considered in the bill with
respect to data.
Dalit converting to Christians and Muslims can’t be compared to Buddhist converts
According to an affidavit filed by the government in November 2019, Dalits who converted to
Buddhism could not be compared to those who converted to Islam or Christianity.
● The affidavit goes against the 2011 recommendation of National Commission for
Scheduled Castes
● National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) before the top court in a 2011puts an
affidavit, when it recommended providing reservation to Dalit Christians and Dalit
Muslims, provided they fulfil two criteria:
○ practise traditions and customs that they followed prior to conversion
○ face social disabilities due to untouchability.
● NCSC acknowledged the lack of an independent study into the status of such converts, it
had recommended that until such a study is completed, Dalit Christians and Dalit
Muslims be included in the SC category.
Government’s point of view
● In its 2019 affidavit, the Centre cited the lack of any comprehensive studies into the
social status of Dalit Christians and Muslims
● Government said the original caste/community of Dalit Buddhists can be located while
that of Dalit Christians and Muslims cannot be traced since these conversions have been
taking place for centuries.
National Commission for Scheduled Castes
● NCSC is a constitutional body that works to safeguard the interests of the scheduled
castes (SC) in India.
● Article 338 of the constitution of India deals with this commission:
● It provides for a National Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
with duties to investigate and monitor all matters relating to safeguards provided for
them, to inquire into specific complaints and to participate and advise on the planning
process of their socio-economic development etc.
History and Origin:
Special Officer:
● Initially, the constitution provided for the appointment of a Special Officer under Article
338.
● The special officer was designated as the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes.
65th Amendment, 1990:
● It replaced the one-member system with a multi-member National Commission for
Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
● The Constitution (65th Amendment) Act 1990, amended Article 338 of the Constitution.
89th Amendment, 2003:
● By this amendment, the erstwhile National Commission for SC and ST was replaced by
two separate Commissions from the year 2004 which were: National Commission for
Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST)-
under Article 338-A.
Structure:
It consists of:
● Chairperson.
● Vice-chairperson.
● Three other members.
They are appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal.
Functions:
● Monitoring and investigating all issues concerning the safeguards provided for the SCs
under the constitution.
● Enquiring into complaints relating to the deprivation of the rights and safeguards of the
SCs.
● Taking part in and advising the central or state governments with respect to the planning
of socio-economic development of the SCs.
● Regular reporting to the President of the country on the implementation of these
safeguards.
● Recommending steps to be taken to further the socio-economic development and other
welfare activities of the SCs.
● Any other function with respect to the welfare, protection, development and advancement
of the SC community.
● The Commission is also required to discharge similar functions with regard to the Anglo-
Indian Community as it does with respect to the SCs.
● Till 2018, the commission was also required to discharge similar functions with regard to
the other backward classes (OBCs). It was relieved from this responsibility by the 102nd
Amendment Act of 2018.
G4 countries highlight reform in UN Security Council
Reform of the United Nations has been a central theme of External Affairs Minister S.
Jaishankar’s visit to the United Nations
● S. Jaishankar met with his counterparts from Germany, Brazil and Japan under The
Group of Four (G4) banner.
● The group is primarily focused on UN Security Council (UNSC) reform, and permanent
membership for G4 members.
● The G4 also reiterated its support for African countries being represented in a permanent
and nonpermanent capacity.
● U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized its support for expanding permanent and
nonpermanent seats on the Council, during his UNGA address.
What is UNSC reform?
● The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United
Nations formed in 1945.
● Despite drastic changes in geopolitics and international relations the Council has not been
reformed yet.
● The demands for reform of the UNSC is based on five key issues:
- categories of membership (permanent , non-permanent).
- the question of the veto held by the five permanent members.
- regional representation.
- the size of an enlarged Council and its working methods.
- the relationship between Security Council and General Assembly.
● Notably, any reform of the Security Council would require the agreement of at least two-
thirds of UN member states.
● Importantly, the agreement of all the permanent members of the UNSC enjoying the veto
right is also required.
About G4 countries
● The G4 nations comprising Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan are four countries
which support each other’s bids for permanent seats on the United Nations Security
Council.
● G4’s primary aim is the permanent member seats on the Security Council.
● Each of these four countries have figured among the elected non-permanent members of
the council since the UN’s establishment.
● Their economic and political influence has grown significantly in the last decades,
reaching a scope comparable to the permanent members (P5).
● However, the G4’s bids are often opposed by the Uniting for Consensus movement,
and particularly their economic competitors or political rivals.
Data-driven solution to child marriage
With the aim of eradicating child marriage, Nayagarh, a tiny Odisha district, has adopted a
unique initiative by scrupulously recording information on all adolescent girls in the district.
