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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS, 07 JUNE 2023

OBSCENITY LAWS IN INDIA

 

1. Context

The bench of Justice Dr Kauser Edappagath made the observation while quashing the case against a 33-year-old woman rights activist, who had faced a case under the POCSO Act on charges of allowing her two minor children to paint on her semi-nude upper part of the body. “Society’s morality and some people’s sentiments cannot be the reason for instituting a crime and prosecuting a person. An action is permissible if it does not violate any of the laws of the land. The notions of social morality are inherently subjective. Morality and criminality are not coextensive

2. What is called an Obscene

  • The Oxford dictionary defines obscene as ‘offensive or disgusting by accepted standards of morality and decency’.
  • But on the contrary for lawyers, the meaning of ‘obscene’ is not the same. For instance, a book or object to be obscene, Section 292 of the IPC says it must be lascivious or prurient or have the effect of depraving or corrupting someone. The terms ‘lascivious’, ‘prurient’, ‘deprave’ and ‘corrupt’ have not been clearly defined, leaving room for interpretation by courts.
  • While the courts, for their part, have developed tests to determine whether something is ‘obscene’.
  • In 1965, the Supreme Court adopted the Victorian-era Hicklin test. The test assessed obscenity by the standard of someone who was open to immoral influences and was likely to be corrupted or depraved by the material in question. When approached from this angle, a wide range of material could be ‘obscene’.
  • Over the years, the judiciary has narrowed the scope of obscenity. In 2014, the Supreme Court did away with the British Hicklin test and adopted the American Roth test.
  • According to this test, obscenity was to be evaluated like an average person would, applying contemporary community standards.
  • The contemporary community standards test takes into account the changing values in society. The things that were obscene a century or even a decade ago, need not be obscene now.

3. Obscenity laws in India

  • Under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 292, 293 and 294 deal with the offence of obscenity.
  • One can find a vague definition of what constitutes obscenity in Section 292, which says that any content shall be deemed to be obscene if it is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest, or if its effect tends to deprave and corrupt persons likely to read, see or hear the content. This section prohibits the sale or publication of any obscene pamphlet, book, paper, painting, and other such materials.
  • Section 293 criminalises the sale or distribution of obscene objects to anyone who is under the age of 20, or an attempt to do so. Although it is a bailable offence, the maximum punishment for the first conviction is three years of imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 2,000, and for the second conviction seven years with a fine up to Rs 5,000.
  • Section 294 prohibits obscene acts and songs in public spaces. The maximum punishment for the person convicted under this charge is three-month jail and a fine.
  • With the advent of the digital age, laws were made to criminalise obscene conduct on the internet also.
  • Section 67 of the Information Technology Act says that anyone who publishes or transmits obscene material in electronic form can be punished.

4. Other Notable cases of Obscenity

  • In 2022, after Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh posted pictures of his nude photoshoot for the New York-based Paper magazine on social media, police booked him under Sections 292, 293 and 509 of the IPC and Section 67A of the IT Act. 
  • Before Singh, model and actor Milind Soman was booked by the Goa Police in November 2021 for uploading a photograph of himself running nude on a beach in the state. 

For Mains

For Mains: 1.Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) punishes obscene acts or words in a public place. In the context of the statement what does Indian law say about obscenity?
 
Source: The Indian Express

22ND LAW COMMISSION

 

1.Context

The Law Ministry describes the Law Commission of India as a non-statutory body that is constituted by a notification of the Government of India, with definite terms of reference to carry out research in the field of law. The Commission makes recommendations to the Government (in the form of Reports) as per its terms of reference. The Law Commission was first constituted in 1955, and has so far submitted 277 reports

2.About Law commission

  • The Law Ministry describes the Law Commission of India as a non-statutory body that is constituted by a notification of the Government of India, with definite terms of reference to carry out research in the field of law.
  • The Commission makes recommendations to the Government (in the form of Reports) as per its terms of reference.
  • The Law Commission was first constituted in 1955, and has so far submitted 277 reports. According to the Law Ministry’s website, the “Law Commission of India provides excellent thought provoking and vital review of the laws in India”.

3.22nd Law commission

  • The 22nd Commission has been constituted two and a half years after it was approved by the Union Cabinet on February 19, 2020, just before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • A petition had been moved in the Supreme Court subsequently against the delay in constituting the 22nd Commission.
  • The Commission would have a tenure of three years from the date of publication of the Order of Constitution in the Official Gazette.
  • The Commission shall, among other things, “identify laws which are no longer needed or relevant and can be immediately repealed
  • Examine the existing laws in the light of Directive Principles of State Policy and suggest ways of improvement and reform and also suggest such legislations as might be necessary to implement the Directive Principles and to attain the objectives set out in the Preamble of the Constitution
  • Revise the Central Acts of general importance so as to simplify them and remove anomalies, ambiguities and inequities
 
 
 
For Prelims: Law commission of India
For Mains:
1.Govt should enshrine in law, the composition, tenure, functions and work procedure of the Law Commission. Do you agree?
 
 
 
 
Source:indianexpress

KOSOVO AND SERBIA

 

1. Context

In the aftermath of one of the worst escalations of tensions between Kosovo and Serbia in at least a decade, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) last week sent 700 more of its peacekeeping troops to Kosovo. Clashes broke out on May 29 between Serbs protesting in North Kosovo and the NATO­ led Kosovo Force (KFor), leaving about 30 NATO soldiers and 50 Serbs injured.

2. What are the roots of the conflict?

  • Kosovo is a region where Serbs and Albanians, representing different ethnicities and religious backgrounds, have been living for centuries.
  • 1.8 million people living in Kosovo, 92% are Albanian, and only 6% are Serbian. The rest are Bosniaks, Gorans, Turks, and Roma.
  • Serbs are primarily Eastern Orthodox Christians, while Albanians in Kosovo are predominantly Muslim. Other minority groups include Bosnians and Turks. Serbs form the majority in Serbia, while Albanians are the majority in Kosovo.
  • Serbia is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe that shares borders with Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria.
  • Kosovo is a small landlocked region that lies to Serbia’s southwest, sharing borders with North Macedonia, Albania, and Montenegro. Many Serbs consider Kosovo the birthplace of their nation.
  • Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s statehood.
  • Serbian nationalists view the 1389 Battle of Kosovo between the Serbian prince Lazar Hrebeljanovic and the Ottoman Sultan Murad Hudavendigar as a defining moment in their national struggle.
  • On the other hand, Kosovo’s majority ethnic Albanians view Kosovo as belonging to them and accuse Serbia of occupation and repression.
Image source: BBC

3. Disintegration of Yugoslavia

  • From 1945 after the end of World War II to 1992, the area in the Balkans comprising present-day Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia, was one country, officially known as the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) with Belgrade as its capital. Serbia included the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina.
  • Following the collapse of the Soviet Union Yugoslavia disintegrated, with each republic becoming an independent country. Slovenia was the first to secede in 1991.
  • The late 1980s and early 1990s saw the weakening of the central government in Yugoslavia, accompanied by resurgent nationalism.
  • Political leaders exploited nationalist rhetoric, eroding the common Yugoslav identity and fueling fear and mistrust among ethnic groups.
  • In 1998, ethnic Albanian rebels formed the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) to challenge Serbian rule.

4. What prompted the recent clashes?

  • In April this year, Kosovo held mayoral elections in municipalities.
  • These elections were boycotted by ethnic Serbs in the northern municipalities and saw only about a 3% turnout, as a result of which ethnic Albanian mayors got elected in these municipalities.
  • Notably, protesting the July 2023 move by Kosovo asking for a change of number plates, ethnic Serb mayors in northern municipalities, along with local judges and 600 police officers had resigned in November and opposed fresh elections to their posts.
    Over a week ago, with the support of the Kosovo police, ethnic Albanian mayors took office in northern Kosovo’s Serb­majority area and faced protests by Serbs.
  • The move by Kosovo to install Albanian members led the U.S. and its allies to rebuke Pristina, as it triggered clashes.
  • Then on May 29, 2023, violent clashes took place between NATO soldiers and Serb protesters.

5. Current status of Kosovo

  • While Kosovo declared independence in 2008, Serbia still considers it to be an integral part of Serbian territory.
  • Countries such as India, China, and Russia do not recognize Kosovo as a separate country, while the US, the majority of EU countries, Japan and Australia do so.
  • A total of 99 out of 193 United Nations (UN) countries now recognize Kosovo's independence.

6. What about Serbia’s ties with Russia? 

  • Kosovo's current leader and the West are also concerned about Serbia's strong historic and military ties with Moscow and its political closeness with President Vladimir Putin who has maintained support for the Serbian claim.
  • The concerns have intensified after the start of the Ukraine conflict and Mr. Kurti has warned of a spillover in the Balkans backed by Russia.
  • Besides, Serbia's dependence on Russia for diplomatic support to counter Kosovo's bids at the UN puts Moscow in a position of influence.
  • The Carnegie Endowment paper on the issue points out that Kremlin also "fears that ending the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo will diminish Russia's stature in Serbia and severely undermine its clout in the Balkans.

7. India's Stand on the State of Kosovo

  • India claims that Kosovo does not fulfill the three principles required for recognition: A defined territory, a duly constituted government accepted by the people, and effective control over an area of governance.
  • India has opposed Kosovo's membership in international bodies such as UNESCO, the Apostille Convention, the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units.
  • India's non-recognition of Kosovo is based on its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia, with whom it has a long-standing relationship.
For Prelims: Kosovo, Serbia, UNESCO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Kosovo Force (KFor), Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY), World War II, Balkan Peninsula, Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), European Union (EU) and United Nations.
For Mains:1. What are the roots of conflict between Kosovo and Serbia and discuss the role of Russia, NATO, and EU play in this conflict?
 

Previous year Question

1.  Consider the following pairs : (UPSC 2023)

Region often Reason for being in news mentioned in news

  1. North Kivu and Ituri: War between Armenia and Azerbaijan
  2. Nagorno-Karabakh: Insurgency in Mozambique
  3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia: Dispute between Israel and Lebanon

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Answer: D

Source: The Hindu

INDIA-US DEFENCE RELATIONSHIP 

1. Context 

Recently, India asked the United States to remove the "stringent hurdles" existing in the form of complicated rules and regulations in the sales of military equipment and the transfer of critical defence technologies to it.
This was among a range of issues Defence Ministers discussed at their bilateral talks which saw the two sides committing to a closer collaboration on "our shared vision for a free open Indo-Pacific".
 

2. Key points

  • The relationship between the United States (US) and India in the defence sector has proven to be one of their most resilient and high-value.
  • Testament to this is three broad trends that have taken shape in the past two decades.
  1. Bilateral defence trade
  2. Cooperation in related sectors which directly or indirectly bolsters their defence cooperation and
  3. Strategic Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific Region

3. Evolution of India-US Defence Relations

  • Defence cooperation was the signing of the "Agreed Minute on Defence Relations between the United States and India in 1995.
  • The Next Step in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) released in January 2004 was critical to establishing a bilateral defence relationship.
  • The agreement was not related to core elements of bilateral defence trade but intended to augment cooperation in areas such as civil nuclear, civilian space programmes, high-technology trade and missile defence.
  • It led to expanded collaboration and eventually to the June 2005 ten-year defence framework agreement.
  • Today, the U.S. undertakes the largest number of military exercises which have gradually evolved in scale and complexity.
  • During the Cold War, more than three-fourths of India's defence equipment was of Soviet Origin.
  • This gradually began to change, and in recent years, the U.S. and Israel emerged as major suppliers.
  • From a total of less than $ 400 million in defence acquisitions during 1947-2005, the U.S. has signed defence contracts of over $15 billion since.
  • Pathfinder projects have been identified under this Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTII).
  • To get around export control licensing and other bureaucratic hurdles, an India Rapid Reaction Cell in the Pentagon was set up. In 2016, India was designated as a "Major Defence Partner" country.
  • Another step forward in the middle of this year was the inclusion of India in the Strategic Trade Authorisation-1 (STA-1) category, putting it on a par with allies in terms of technology access.
  • This should enable the DTII to graduate to more ambitious projects.
  • UAV Technology sale to India approved. The transfer of state-of-the-art UAV technology to India will be the first significant progress after India enters into the exclusive Missile Technolgy Control Regime (MTCR) and after the US has designated India as a major defence partner.

4. Strategic Rationales

  • The India-US defence partnership has a strategic dimension with its most prominent implications for the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The strategic persuasions of a "free, open and secure" Indo-Pacific stem from the strong bilateral defence ties between the two countries.
  •  The bilateral framework lays out four strands of defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific: maintaining peace and security;
  • Defeating terrorism and violent extremism
  • Preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and associated materials, data, and technology and 
  • Supporting a rules-based order that protects the free flow of commerce in the region.
India has at least three broad strategic objectives in promoting its defence relationship with the US.
  1. It seeks to modernise its military by acquiring sensitive and advanced technologies necessary for its own national ambitions and regional interests.
  2. It hopes to bridge its capacity-capability deficit by developing home-grown know-how and skill sets in both the armed forces and the defence industry through specific programmes of co-production and co-development.
  3. The Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) agreement between India and the US, reached in May 2022, identifies areas of mutual interest in technological cooperation.

5. Changes in US export law to Benefit India

  • The United States has made changes in its export control laws that will benefit India by facilitating a smoother transfer of technologies and arms.
  • These changes have been made on par with the recognition of India's status as a major Defence partner.
  • The new rule creates a presumption of approval for Indian firms seeking to import Commerce Department-controlled military items, except weapons of mass destruction-related goods.
  • Henceforth, companies will not need a license at all after becoming a Validated End User (VEU).
  • Under it, India will be denied licences only in the rarest circumstances.

6. Foundational agreements between India and US

  1. Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement or Logistics Support Agreement (LSA).
  2. Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA).
  3. Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA).

6.1. Significance of Foundational Agreements

  • These agreements are the expected gains in defence co-production with the US as the latter eases the terms of technology transfer.
  • The signing of these agreements should be strictly made contingent on US assurance of the transfer of technology.

7. Challenges and Recommendations

  • The US-India defence relationship, despite its remarkable rise in the past two decades, is intermittently impeded by functions of political, bureaucratic, economic and strategic realities.
  • Although gaps have been bridged to a significant extent, some fundamental differences exist, casting their long shadow on the strategic partnership.
  • The entire F-16 assembly line to India in 2016, which came on the heels of the US announcement that it was selling eight F-16s to Pakistan. Despite the strength of such ties, India's assessment of its threats will supersede the compulsions of any bilateral defence relationship.
  • Some of the persistent problems between the two countries in the defence sector include the verification of offset Credits and the imposition of penalties.
  • The decision to impose a ban on the export of critical supplies required for Covid-19 vaccines under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System Programme (DPAS) of the Defense Production Act (DPA) in 2021 directly affected India's ability to manufacture vaccines.
  • India's ties with Russia in the defence sector also remain a factor in the growth trajectory of the India-US defence relationship. Particularly in the backdrop of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

8. Conclusion

  • The current India-US defence relationship is important for both commercial and strategic reasons.
  • The steps taken by both sides over the years, along with mechanisms that have institutionalised the relationship, have ensured a certain degree of momentum in the relationship.
  • Recently added compliances in foreign companies' ability to spend in the Indian Defence sector, along with the push to make India more self-reliant through Atmanirbhar Bharat, have not pushed away investments from the US.
  • Rather, US Companies have increased their partnerships with Indian companies aimed at fostering growth in the defence sector.
 
For Prelims: India-US, Defence, trade, Indo-Pacific, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Defense Priorities and Allocations System Programme, Defense Production Act, Russia -Ukraine war, 
 
For Mains: 
1. Discuss the evolution of the India-United States Defence Relations and Explain India's challenges in dealing with the United States? (250 Words)
 

Previous Year Questions

1. Consider the following statements:  (UPSC 2022)
1. Vietnam has been one of the fastest growing economies in the world in the recent years.
2. Vietnam is led by a multi-party political system.
3. Vietnam's economic growth is linked to its integration with global supply chains and focus on exports.
4. For a long time Vietnam's low labour costs and stable exchange rates have attracted global manufacturers.
5. Vietnam has the most productive e-service sector in the Indo-Pacific region.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A.  2 and 4            B. 3 and 5        C. 1, 3 and 4           D. 1 and 2
 
Answer: C
 
2. India is a member of which among the following? (UPSC 2015) 
1. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
2. Association of South-East Asian Nations
3. East Asia Summit
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A. 1 and                             B. 2 only          C. 3 only           
D. 1, 2 and 3                        E.  India is a member of none of them
 
Answer: B

 Source: orfonline.org

OPERATION BLUE STAR

 

1. Context

June 6, 2023 marks 39 years of Operation Bluestar, in which the Indian army stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar to flush out militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers.

2. Operation Blue Star

  • Operation Bluestar was an Indian Army operation carried out in June 1984 in the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, to flush out militants who were led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a one-time leader of the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal and a key figure in the growing separatist Khalistan movement at the time.
  • While successful in its intended objectives, it caused a furor among some members of the Sikh community, who saw the operation carried out in their shrine as an attack on their faith, and 39 years later too, it remains a controversial episode of Indian history. 
Image Source: The Indian Express

3. History of Operation Blue Star

  • The idea of Khalistan was born in the aftermath of the Partition of India into West Pakistan (now Pakistan) and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
  • Punjab, the home of most members of the Sikh community, was also divided into two because of the newly-created border.
  • It led to a sense of loss among Indian Sikhs, with culturally and religiously important cities, such as Lahore and Nankana Sahib, going to Pakistan.
  • As writer Khushwant Singh put it in the collection of essays The Punjab Story, “The sentiment (for a separate Sikh state) was expressed in a single query – Hindus got Hindustan. Muslims got Pakistan. What did the Sikhs get out of Partition and Independence?”
  • Additionally, there was some discontent over a few administrative issues, like river water sharing with other states, which led to demands for autonomy – and then for a sovereign Sikh state from some quarters. It is also believed that Pakistan aided the movement with arms and funds.
  • In response to demands for autonomy, in 1966, the erstwhile Punjab state was divided into the Hindi-speaking, Hindu-majority states of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, and the Punjabi-speaking, Sikh-majority Punjab. However, by the 1970s, the separatist Khalistan movement was in full swing – in India and abroad.

4. Operation Blue Star- Background

  • Operation Blue Star was ordered by the then Prime Minister of India Smt. Indira Gandhi took control of the Harmandir Sahib Complex in Amritsar, also popularly known as the Golden Temple which is a holy shrine of the Sikhs.
  • Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale wanted the Government of India to pass the Anandpur Resolution, which sought the formation of a separate state of Khalistan for Sikhs among other demands.
  • By 1982, the radical leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale had managed to gain enough support for his cause, and by the mid next year, he had set up a base inside the Golden Temple complex, with ammunition as well as his followers.
  • It was not easy for the armed forces to take back control of the Golden Temple from armed militants and preserve its sanctity at the same time.
  • After nearly a year of consultations and negotiations, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi decided that the only option left was to carry out a military operation which led to Operation Blue Star.

5. The Operation

  • Operation Blue Star consisted of a two-stage operation: the first one was known as Operation Metal, which was restricted to the elimination of the armed militants present inside the Golden Temple complex.
  • This was followed by another operation called Operation Woodrose, which was carried out across the state to ensure that all suspects were either captured or killed.
  • The Golden Temple complex, commonly the Harmandir Sahib, is a revered religious site for Sikhs and is considered the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion.
  • In 1984, a group of militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale took refuge inside the complex, along with a large number of armed supporters around him.
  • Operation Blue Star, which began on June 3, 1984, involved the deployment of thousands of Indian Army troops, tanks, as well as artillery around the Golden Temple complex.
  • Operation Blue Star was commanded by Lt. General Kuldip Singh Brar, operating under General Sundarji.
  • On 3rd June, a 36-hour curfew was imposed in Punjab, detaching the state from all modes of communication, electricity, and transport.
  • Thousands of Sikhs had gathered inside the complex of the Golden Temple to celebrate the martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev, however, they all were trapped inside the Gurudwara after the said curfew was imposed on 3rd June.
  • The Indian Armed Forces stormed the Harmandir Sahib complex on the night of June 5, and Operation Blue Star lasted for another 5 days, during which heavy gunfire and explosions rocked and affected the complex, causing significant damage to the temple and surrounding buildings.
  • The Akal Takht was heavily equipped with sandbags and gun emplacements in its windows and arches from where the dissidents were able to fire at any commandos who made their way in front of the Gurudwara.
  • The forces had full control of Harmandir Sahib by the morning of June 7. Sikh leaders JS Bhindranwale and Shabeg Singh were killed in the operation.
  • Operation Blue Star cleared terrorists from the Golden Temple compound but it received backlash from the Sikh community worldwide. 

6. Operation Blue Star- Aftermath

  • The operation was considered to be a controversial one as it had severe ramifications for many sections. In the long term, the Sikh community became more assertive about their identity and their place in Indian society.
  • However, there was a series of violence across the country against Sikh people immediately after the incident. 
  • In 1985, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee filed a damages suit for Rs 1000 crore about Operation Blue Star. 
  • Operation Blue Star has been the subject of several inquiry commissions and investigations, including the 1984 Misra Commission and the 2005 Nanavati Commission, both of which sought to uncover the events leading up to the operation, deaths, and its aftermath. 
  • The aftermath of Operation Blue Star also saw an increase in militant activities as well as violence in Punjab, leading to a decade-long insurgency followed by a brutal crackdown by the Indian security forces.
  • The operation sparked widespread protests and anger among the Sikh community in India as well as abroad, who viewed it as an attack on their religious and cultural identity.
  • Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who gave a nod to Operation Blue Star was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards later in the year. 
  • The 1984 Sikh Riots broke out, which lasted for 3 days and led to several deaths which are estimated by various independent sources at around 8,000-16,000. 
  • In 1986, the Chief of Army Staff at the time of the operation- General AS Vaidya was assassinated by Sikh militants in revenge.
  • The bombing of Air India Flight 182 from Canada to Delhi in 1985 is believed to have been another act of revenge for Operation Blue Star.
  • Many Sikh army men in the Indian Army mutinied because of the operation. Many Sikhs resigned from administrative positions in the government.
  • On July 24, 1985, the then-Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Punjabi Akali leader Harchand Singh Longowal signed the Rajiv–Longowal Accord or simply, the Punjab Accord.
For Prelims: Operation Blue Star, Khalistan movement, Operation Metal, Operation Woodrose, Harmandir Sahib.
For Mains: 1. The scourge of terrorism is a grave challenge to national security. What solutions do you suggest to curb this growing menace? What are the major sources of terrorist funding? UPSC CSE Mains 2017).
 Source: The Indian Express

FOUCAULT PENDULUM

1. Context

  • The pendulum features in Parliament's Constitutional Gallery area. It was designed and installed by the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Kolkata.
  • Invented by the 19th-century French Physicist Jean Bernard Leon Foucault, the pendulum provided simple physical proof that the earth rotated on its axis.
  • It exemplified the earth's rotation without complex calculations and has found a new home in the recently inaugurated Parliament Building of India.
  • However, as E. Islam, a member of the NCSM team that has built Foucault Pendulum models in India and abroad, pointed out in a research paper, the invention was an accident.

2. About Foucault pendulum

  • Foucault was setting up a long and thin metal rod in a lathe when he accidentally plucked it, causing the end of the metal rod to vibrate in the same plane.
  • Its other end rotated while being fixed on the headstock of the lathe.
  • The incident paved the way for the current version of the Foucault pendulum. 
  • To test the theory, Foucault suspended a short pendulum from the chuck of a vertical drill press and set it to oscillation.
  • He then started the drill press and noticed that the pendulum swung in its original plane, irrespective of the fact that its mounted end was rotating.
  • He set up an 11-metre-long wire in the Paris Observatory for analysis and found that it too rotated clockwise.
  • The physicist first set up the public display of the pendulum at the Pantheon in Paris in 1851.
  • It consisted of a hollow brass sphere filled with lead to reach 28 kg in mass.
  • It measured 17 cm in diameter and was suspended from a 67-metre-long pendulum.
  • According to his findings, it is much easier to understand the phenomenon of the earth's rotation using the pendulum at the Poles than it is at lower latitudes.
  • At the Poles, the pendulum's plane rotates once every 24 hours (which is the approximate period for one rotation of the earth), while at the Equator, it does not rotate at all. 
  • This is because the earth rotates faster at the Equator than it does at the Poles.
  • After all, it is wider in the centre and hence needs to cover more area in the same period as compared to the North or South Pole.
  • The pendulum swings across a plane, which is the surface swiped by the motion of the sphere, also called the Pendulum's bob.
  • As the earth rotates, the plane of the pendulum's swing appears to rotate slowly. However, it's not the pendulum, but the earth itself, that is rotating.

3. Coriolis Effect

  • This relative motion explains the Coriolis effect. Coriolis force is a phenomenon that appears to act on objects in motion in a rotating reference frame, like the Earth.
  • In the Northern Hemisphere, Coriolis force causes moving objects to be deflected to the right, while its effect is the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere. This deflection is called the Coriolis effect.
  • The direction in which the Foucault pendulum swings is in line with the Coriolis effect.
  • With each swing, the bob of the Foucault pendulum moves a little to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa in the South.
  • This is why the plane of the swing is observed to have rotated in the clockwise direction in the Northern Hemisphere over some time.
  • The Royal Astronomical Society, London, states that certain conditions must be satisfied for the accuracy of the Foucault pendulum.
  • The pendulum must be allowed to swing freely, independent of any torque, in any plane.
  • The bob must be heavy, and the string must be long to reduce the air resistance effect.
  • The pendulum must be released from rest smoothly to avoid any knee-jerk motions and to ensure that it swings in a plane.
  • For people standing on the surface of the earth, rotation is not a noticeable part of daily life. This is why if the pendulum is installed at the North Pole, it will swing as the earth rotates underneath it and the plane of the swing will appear to rotate one full circle in 24 hours, like the earth's rotation.
  • However, a pendulum at the Equator appears to remain in the same plane because it rotates along with the Earth.
 
For Prelims: Foucault's Pendulum, National Council of Science Museums, Coriolis effect, Coriolis force, Royal Astronomical Society, 
For Mains: 
1. What is Foucault's Pendulum? Explain its relations with Coriolis Effect. (250 Words)
 
 
Previous Year Questions
 
1. Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Commission in collaboration with National Council for Science Museum has established a Sub-Regional Science Center at________. (Maharashtra Talathi 2019) 
A. Thane            B. Solapur       C.  Latur             D. Gondia
 
Answer:  B
 
2. The Coriolis effect is the result of (NDA 2017) 
A. Pressure gradient
B. Earth's axis of inclination
C. Earth's rotation
D. Earth's revolution
 
Answer: C
 
3. Westerlies in the southern hemisphere are stronger and more persistent than in the northern hemisphere. Why? (UPSC 2011)
1. Southern hemisphere has less landmass as compared to the northern hemisphere.
2. Coriolis force is higher in the southern hemisphere as compared to the northern hemisphere. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 
A. 1 only         B. 2 only            C. Both 1 and 2         D.  Neither 1 nor 2
 
Answer: A
 
 
Source: The Hindu
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