QBullet: Privacy a Fundamental Right; Ram Rahim Rape Verdict Today

The Quint’s roundup of headlines from national dailies.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

1. 'Right to Privacy a Fundamental Right'; Opposition Calls It a Blow to 'Fascist Forces', Centre Says Verdict Affirms Govt View

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court on Thursday held Right to Privacy as a fundamental right, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. “Privacy intrinsic to freedom of life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of Constitution,” the nine-judge bench unanimously observed.

The bench overruled decisions in M P Sharma case and Kharak Singh case which had said right to privacy was not protected by Constitution. 

“The decisions stand overruled”, it said.

The verdict has significant consequences for the common man as it will empower him/her with a powerful tool to fight unlawful intrusions by the state into their personal lives.

But the very fact that the court has traced it to part 3 would mean that the restrictions applicable to other fundamental rights will also apply to privacy.

The judgement will also form the basis on which petitions challenging the Aadhaar Act will now proceed.

Source: Indian Express

Also Read: Too Lazy to Read Right to Privacy Ruling? Here’s the TL;DR Version
With Right to Privacy, LGBTQ Community Has Reason to Rejoice

2. Ram Rahim Rape Verdict: Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh

Parts of Haryana and Punjab as well as Chandigarh were under a security lockdown on Thursday as 200,000 supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh massed in Panchkula ahead of a verdict in a rape trial against him.

Schools, colleges and government offices were closed, and train and bus services suspended. The army was placed on standby, while police and paramilitary forces patrolled sensitive areas.

A cricket stadium was turned into a temporary jail in case the self-styled spiritual leader’s followers turn violent if he is found guilty.

The Punjab and Haryana high court directed the Union government to take pre-emptive measures and asked Haryana and Punjab why so many people were allowed to gather at one place despite prohibitory orders.

Source: Hindustan Times

Also Read: Live: Ram Rahim Appeals to Followers in Panchkula to Go Back Home
Ground Report: Ram Rahim Acolytes Reject Possibility of Conviction

3. Nandan Nilekani Returns to Infosys as Chairman, 4 Directors Quit

Eight years after he relinquished all responsibilities at Infosys to take on the task of building the Aadhaar infrastructure, Nandan Nilekani has returned to the company he co-founded in 1981.

The Infosys board on Thursday named him non-executive chairman in what looked like a response to sentiments of a host of investors and others who saw him as best placed to bring stability to a company roiled by controversy over the past year. 

Infosys Co-founder and former Aadhar Chairman Nandan Nilekani.

His phenomenal success, first as Infosys CEO and then in building and operationalising a technically complex national infrastructure like Aadhaar, has provided him considerable global heft.

Nilekani, according to sources, will stay for a minimum of two years at the company though there’s pressure on him to take a five-year term. 

He will replace R Seshasayee, the main target of attacks by co-founder NR Narayana Murthy for what he described as a sharp deterioration in governance standards at the company. Seshasayee has also quit the board.

Source: The Times of India

Also Read: Sikka, Weak Board or Murthy – Who’s to Blame for Infosys Mess?

4. New Rs 200 Note to Be Issued From Today

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday said it will issue new Rs 200 denomination banknotes from select RBI offices and some banks on Friday. However, experts said the new Rs 200 note may not be available through ATMs as they will have to be recalibrated to accommodate the new note.

The new denomination has Motif of ‘Sanchi Stupa’ on the reverse, depicting the country’s cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is bright yellow.

(Photo: The Quint)

The note has other designs, geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme, both at the obverse and reverse. The notes will be in the Mahatma Gandhi (new) Series, bearing the signature of RBI Governor Urjit R Patel, the RBI said.

Since the length of the new Rs 200 currency is different from the existing currency in circulation, cassette calibration is required to be done. ATM manufacturers need to do a complete testing of the new Rs 200 denomination currency and provide the parameters which need to be configured at the ATM by an engineer. 

Himanshu Pujara, Managing Director, Euronet Services India Pvt Ltd

Source: Indian Express

Also Read: Flash Yellow, Bright Blue: RBI’s New Notes Bring Colour to Life
Inside Hampi: Ruins that Inspired the New Rs 50 Note

5. Supreme Court Verdict Renders Pending Triple Talaq Cases Invalid

The ramifications of the Supreme Court's verdict on Tuesday declaring triple talaq as unconstitutional will have a bearing on all pending cases in different courts where Muslim women have challenged divorce given to them under "talaq-ebiddat (instant divorce)" and their marital status is likely to be restored.

Legal experts said all pending cases would be decided as per the law laid down by the apex court in its judgment and all such talaq cases will have to be declared invalid. Senior advocate Ajit Sinha, a former judge of the Jharkhand high court, said the order was binding on all courts, according to Article 141 of the Constitution.

All pending cases will now have to be decided according to the law pronounced by the apex court.

There is no question of other courts having to examine the validity of triple talaq now after the SC verdict and so all cases will go.

Source: The Times of India

Also Read: SC Strikes Down Triple Talaq, But Does Little for Gender Justice

6. China Asks Its Citizens in India To Stay Alert – For The 2nd Time

China on Thursday issued the latest safety advisory to its citizens living in India. This is the second such notice, amid the border row dispute between the two countries.

The advisory has asked them to be alert and its validity is until 31 December. The last one-month advisory was issued on 8 July.

The advisory comes just before the BRICS Summit in China’s Xiamen city.

Pay close attention to the local security situation, improve self-protection awareness, strengthen security, and reduce unnecessary travel.

Advisory

It advised them to inform their family, colleagues, and friends about their travels, and to keep the communication open.

Read the full story on The Quint.

Also Read: ‘If We Did What India Is Doing, It’d Be Utter Chaos,’ Says China

7. India, Nepal Forge Close Security Ties

India and Nepal set the stage for closer defence and security cooperation on Thursday, signing eight agreements, including for cooperation against drug trafficking as well as post-earthquake reconstruction. On his first visit to India after taking over as PM, Nepal PM Sher Bahadur Deuba assured counterpart Narendra Modi that his government wasn't going to allow anyone to conduct anti-India activities from Nepalese soil.

Both sides insisted that Nepal did not go into the specifics of its own boundary dispute with India at the Nepal-China-India tri-junction in light of the Sino-Indian Doklam dispute.

According to a joint statement issued their meeting, the two leaders committed to enhancing close cooperation between the Indian Army and the Nepal army. Deuba thanked India for continued assistance in training and capacity building of the security forces of Nepal.

The two PMs expressed satisfaction at the “excellent cooperation on security-related matters”, and commitment to ensure that the open border, a unique feature of bilateral relations that has facilitated unhindered movement of people on both sides, is not misused by unscrupulous elements posing security threat to either side. 

Source: The Times of India

Also Read: India, Nepal Sign Eight Pacts on PM Deuba’s Maiden Visit

8. Setback for Lalu Yadav, Mayawati Says BSP Will Not Attend BJP Bhagao Rally in Patna

In a big setback for RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday said her party will not participate in the RJD’s BJP Bhagao Rally in Patna August 27, news agency ANI reported. Clarifying her decision to skip the rally, Mayawati said:

BSP has clearly told the RJD that it will share the dais with any regional or national party only when it is decided beforehand on how many seats will go to which party in the secular alliance…Before finalising any secular programme the policy and principle of seat sharing should be decided (first) as the life of an alliance is dependent on it and all should get respectable number of seats.

The latest decision by Mayawati can be a big disappointment for Lalu Yadav as Congress chief Sonia Gandhi too has decided to give the rally a miss. According to the RJD chief, senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and CP Joshi would also attend the rally with a message from All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi.

Source: Indian Express

Also Read: Alliances Fall Apart: Mayawati on Not Joining Lalu’s Patna Rally

9. If Builders Pay Part of Dues, Owners of Completed Flats Can Get Possession: Noida Authority

As apprehension and panic among home investors continues unabated, the Noida Authority on Thursday came up with a scheme, which is expected to bring relief to nearly 20,000 home buyers — those who have invested in projects that are complete but are waiting for possession of flats, officials said.

Around 15,000 to 20,000 investors are expected to benefit from the scheme. These are people whose flats are ready but they have been waiting to take possession of their flats since the builder has not cleared their dues to the Authority. Under this scheme, the builder can deposit a portion of their dues to the Authority following which partial occupancy certificates will be issued.

Amit Mohan Prasad, CEO, Noida Authority

Elaborating on the scheme, Authority officials maintained that the builder will be required to pay 10 percent of its total current dues to Authority, temporary or partial occupancy certificates will be given to them.

Source: Indian Express

Also Read: Greater Noida Housing Project Builders Under Authorities’ Scanner

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