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Official Secrets Act (India)

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137: 31: 248:(if the intent is to declare war against India - section 5). A person prosecuted under this Act can be charged with the crime even if the action was unintentional and not intended to endanger the security of the state. The Act only empowers persons in positions of authority to handle official secrets, and others who handle it in prohibited areas or outside them are liable for punishment. 389:
on official secrets act and section 24 of RTI which mandates even security and intelligence organisations to disclose information on corruption and human rights violations. Finally, section 8(2) compels the government to disclose information "if public interest in disclosure outweighs the harm to protected interest".
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newspaper, which had published the papers. He claimed that the documents pertaining to the purchase of Rafale jets published by the media are genuine Justice Joseph one, of the three judges on the bench, asked the government about Right to Information Act 2005, Section 22 having an overriding effect
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50 cases of violation of the Official Secrets Act were registered in the country since 2014. Of these 50 cases, 30 were registered in 2016, nine in 2015 and 11 in 2014 according to Union Minister of state for Home Hansraj Ahir. Of the 30 cases registered in 2016, eight were lodged in Tamil Nadu,
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In June 2002, journalist Iftikhar Gilani was, arrested for violating the OSA 1923. He was charged under the OSA, with a case under the Obscenity Act added to it. The first military report suggested that the information he was accused of holding was "secret" despite being publicly available. The
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second military intelligence report contradicted this, stating that there was no "official secret". Even after this, the government denied the opinion of the military and was on the verge of challenging it when the contradictions were exposed in the press.
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Saikia was arrested in February 2015 in another case that the police said involved the writing of stories and analyses from documents allegedly stolen from the government. He was released on bail in May after spending 80 days in jail.
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When a company is seen as the offender under this Act, everyone involved with the management of the company, including the board of directors, can be liable for punishment. In the case of a newspaper, everyone – including the
228:. It states clearly that actions which involve helping an enemy state against India are strongly condemned. It also states that one cannot approach, inspect, or even pass over a prohibited government site or area like an 268:
Uninterested members of the public may be excluded from court proceedings if the prosecution feels that any information which is going to be passed on during the proceedings is sensitive. This also includes media.
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The military reported that "the information contained in the document is easily available" and "the documents carry no security classified information and the information seems to have been gathered from
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ten years earlier by Santanu Saikia, greatly reduced the powers of the act by ruling publication of a document merely labelled "secret" shall not render the journalist liable under the law.
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On 13 January 2004, the government withdrew its case against him to prevent two of its ministries from having to give contradictory opinions. Gilani was released the same month.
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Under the Act, search warrants may be issued at any time if the magistrate determines that based on the evidence there is enough danger to the security of the state.
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in July 2017 submitted a report to the Cabinet secretariat. The goal was to amend the act to make it more transparent and in line with the
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In the OSA clause 6, information from any governmental office is considered official information, hence it can be used to override
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Attorney General KK Venugopal told the three-judge bench that the government could invoke the Official Secrets Act 1923, against
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A Delhi court in a 2009 judgement, in a case involving the publication of excerpts of a cabinet note in the
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with investigations regarding an offense, up to and including revealing his sources of information.
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and the proprietor — can be imprisoned for an offense. OSA is controversial to the modern
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An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to official secrets.
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Delhi court judgement in the case involving journalist Santanu Saikia
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Introduction to Iftikhar Gilani's book, My Days in Prison
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above the rank of the sub-Inspector and members of the
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50 cases of Official Secrets Act violation since 2014
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Punishments under the Act range from three years to
372:followed by five each in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. 55:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 643: 637:An article by RSF into the Iftikhar Gilani case 334:After reviewing the provisions of the act, the 376:Rafale fighter jets case details published by 302:requests. This has drawn harsh criticism. The 633:(By the Indian editor, Siddharth Varadarajan) 16:For other similar Acts around the world, see 585:"MHA reviews draconian Official Secrets Act" 239: 426:"Act No. 19 of 1923 dated 2nd. April, 1923" 421: 419: 467:"RTI trumps Official Secrets Act, says SC" 306:has also held that the RTI overrides OSA. 464: 115:Learn how and when to remove this message 416: 465:Rajagopal, Krishnadas (14 March 2019). 309: 644: 550: 53:adding citations to reliable sources 24: 13: 597:from the original on 31 July 2017. 551:Garg, Abhinav (26 February 2009). 294:Conflict with right to information 14: 688: 619: 64:"Official Secrets Act" India 438:"THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT, 1923" 135: 29: 224:act held over from the British 40:needs additional citations for 626:THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT, 1923 601: 577: 544: 518: 492: 458: 430: 345: 340:Right to Information Act, 2005 1: 409: 300:Right to Information Act 2005 130:The Official Secrets Act,1923 662:Legislation in British India 288: 254:have to help members of the 214:Official Secrets Act of 1923 145:Imperial Legislative Council 7: 10: 693: 329: 15: 240:Prosecution and penalties 202: 197: 192: 182: 172: 150: 143: 134: 129: 394:Right to Information Act 657:Classified information 399:Classified information 304:Supreme Court of India 230:electrical substation 445:www.indiacode.nic.in 404:Official Secrets Act 310:Iftikhar Gilani case 49:improve this article 18:Official Secrets Act 677:1923 in British law 336:Union Home Ministry 565:on 24 October 2012 530:The Indian Express 198:Repealing Act,1927 183:Territorial extent 177:Act No. 19 of 1923 504:indiatogether.org 357:Financial Express 246:life imprisonment 210: 209: 125: 124: 117: 99: 684: 613: 612: 605: 599: 598: 593:. 28 July 2017. 581: 575: 574: 572: 570: 561:. 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Official Secrets Act

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"Official Secrets Act" India
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Imperial Legislative Council
Long title
Act No. 19 of 1923
British India
India
espionage
colonial period
electrical substation
passwords
life imprisonment
Journalists
police forces
military
editor
publisher
RTI Act of 2005
Right to Information Act 2005

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