Who are these Nuclear Safety ‘Experts’?: It Is Time the ‘Lay’ People Rise Up and Ask ! by admin_dianuke

Prof. T. Shivaji Rao

Prof.T.Shivaji Rao is the Director of Center for Environmental Studies,GITAM University, Visakhapatnam (India)

Here is a related article by Prof. Rao:

Why concerned people and not Government Experts should decide on safety aspects of a Nuclear plant?

In India the term expert is defined in Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. The Act deals with what kind of Evidence must be given which may have to be proved before the court and the public. It also specifies which persons and by what manner the evidence must be given by which any fact is to be proved.

According to Sec 45 of the Evidence Act an expert is defined as a person who is specially skilled. An expert to be a competent witness need not acquire special knowledge or skill professionally. It is sufficient if he has made a special study of the subject or acquired special experience therein. Sometimes opinions of experts on a topic also differ. For instance when positive assertion is made by one expert that the signature on the will is that of the testator and a second expert casts certain doubts but no positive interference is provided by the second expert that the signature is not genuine the court has no option except to accept the opinion of the first expert.