Rules of Procedure in Lok Sabha, Report on Currency and Finance: RBI, FnCas9

(General Studies II – Polity Section – Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.)  

• The Right to be Forgotten (RTBF) is a concept in data protection that allows individuals to request the removal of their personal information from public domains, particularly internet searches and databases.
• It’s an extension of privacy rights, aiming to give individuals control over their digital footprint.
• In India, the RTBF is emerging as a significant legal and ethical issue. While not explicitly defined in Indian law, it has been the subject of several court cases and is increasingly recognized as an important aspect of privacy rights.

Need for the Right to be Forgotten –

1. Digital Permanence: Information on the internet can persist indefinitely, potentially causing long-term harm to an individual’s reputation or opportunities.
2. Privacy Protection: As personal data becomes more valuable and vulnerable, individuals need greater control over their information.
3. Second Chances: The RTBF allows people to move past previous mistakes or outdated information that no longer reflects their current situation.
4. Data Autonomy: It empowers individuals to have a say in how their personal data is used and displayed online.

Cases and Progress in India –

1. Puttaswamy Judgment (2017): The Supreme Court recognized the right to privacy as a fundamental right, with Justice S.K. Kaul mentioning RTBF in his concurring opinion.
2. Dharamraj Bhanushankar Dave vs State of Gujarat (2017): The Gujarat High Court refused to remove details of an acquittal, stating court orders should remain in the public domain.
3. Karnataka High Court Case (2017): The court protected a petitioner’s name in an annulment case, citing trends in Western countries.
4. Jorawar Singh Mundy Case (2021): The Delhi High Court allowed the removal of a ruling from search results in a criminal case where the petitioner was acquitted.
5. Orissa High Court (2020): In a case involving “revenge porn,” the court called for a widespread debate on the RTBF.
6. Supreme Court Case (2023): The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case challenging a Madras High Court ruling, which could potentially shape the contours of RTBF in India.

Global Framework –

1. European Union: The RTBF is enshrined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) under Article 17 as the “right to erasure.”
2. United States: No comprehensive federal law exists, but some states like California have implemented similar rights.
3. Argentina: Recognized RTBF through court decisions.
4. Russia: Implemented a form of RTBF in its data protection laws.

Challenges Involved –

1. Balancing Rights: RTBF often conflicts with freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.
2. Technical Feasibility: Complete removal of information from the internet is challenging due to data replication and caching.
3. Jurisdiction Issues: The global nature of the internet complicates enforcement across different legal jurisdictions.
4. Defining Criteria: Establishing clear guidelines for what information qualifies for removal is complex.
5. Impact on Historical Records: There are concerns about the potential loss of valuable historical and archival information.

The RTBF represents a crucial aspect of privacy rights in the digital age. In India, while not explicitly defined in law, it is gaining recognition through court judgments and public discourse. The global trend towards recognizing this right suggests that India may need to develop a comprehensive framework to address RTBF. However, any such framework must carefully balance individual privacy rights with the public’s right to information and the practical challenges of implementation in the digital realm.

• Recently Speaker of Lok Sabha cautioned the Leader of Opposition over Rules of Procedure.
• The Speaker of the Lok Sabha derives his powers and duties from three sources, that is, the Constitution of India, the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Lok Sabha, and Parliamentary Conventions.
• Speaker is the final interpreter of the House’s provisions of the Rules of Procedure.
• Article 118 talks about Rules of Procedure i.e. each House of Parliament may make rules for regulations, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, its procedure and the conduct of its business. Article 208 talks about Rules of Procedure in the context of state legislative assembly.
• Lok Sabha Rules of Procedure 352 list Rules to be observed while speaking.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Speaker’s role in Anti-Defection Law.

• India is likely to raise a complaint against the International Labour Organisation over its India Employment Report, 2024.
• As per the stand of Government officials, the model used by the ILO to assess employment in India was unsuitable and India had its own assessment.
• It also noted that the share of youngsters with secondary or higher education among the total unemployed youth nearly doubled from 35.2% in 2000 to 65.7% in 2022.

• The concept of employment in India is changing, with more people becoming entrepreneurs and formal employment increasing, as evidenced by rising subscriptions to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation.
• The ILO report is primarily based on analysis of data from the National Sample Surveys.
• The government prefers the data from the Periodic Labour Force Surveys, which it believes better represents the employment situation in India.

Dig Deeper: Read about various schemes launched by the government in the recent budget. Also, mention various international reports India has recently criticised or rejected.

• India is leading the digital revolution, leveraging digital public infrastructure, a vibrant financial technology (FinTech) ecosystem, and a conducive policy environment to become the world’s fastest-growing digital economy, according to the Reserve Bank of India’s Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for 2023-24.
• Digital technologies are enhancing access to financial services. Recent improvements in efficiency and accessibility along with regulatory frameworks have increased trust in digital financial products, boosting operational and technical efficiencies.
• The challenges include safeguarding against cyber threats, protecting user information, managing external dependencies, ensuring safety and fairness for users, up-skilling and re-skilling human resources to meet technological demands, and navigating sophisticated business models and products.
• RBI Governor highlighted that digitalisation in finance is paving the way for next-generation banking, improving access to financial services at affordable costs.

Dig Deeper: List recent RBI Reports related to Digitisation.

• Scientists from the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, have developed an enhanced genome-editing system, FnCas9, which can modify DNA more precisely and efficiently than existing CRISPR-based technologies.
• To address issues with CRISPR, researchers are exploring the FnCas9 enzyme from Francisella novicida, known for its precision but lower efficiency.
• Researchers at CSIR-IGIB have modified and engineered new versions of FnCas9 to enhance its efficiency without compromising its specificity.
• Experiments showed that the enhanced FnCas9 cut target DNA at a higher rate than the unmodified version.
• It also performed better in identifying single-nucleotide changes in the genome, increasing the scope for detecting disease-causing genetic changes.
• Testing against genetic disorders like Leber congenital amaurosis type 2 (LCA2), the enhanced FnCas9 successfully corrected mutations in retinal cells, showing high efficiency and minimal off-target effects.

Dig Deeper: Read about the basics of the Genome-editing system.