Patents [CAP.400 27 (6) An appeal shall lie from any decision of the Registrar under this section. (As amended by Act No. t 8 of t 980) 24. (I) In this section the expression "competent authority" means the Minister designated as a competent authority by the President in the Gazette. (2) Where, before or after the commencement of this Act. an application for a patent has been made in respect of an invention.and it appears to the Registrar that the invention is one of a class notified to him by a competent authority as relevant for defence purposes. he may give directions for prohibiting or restricting the publication of information with respect to the invention, or the communication of such information to any person or class of persons specified in the directions. and while such directions are in force the application may, subject to the directions, proceed up to the acceptance of the com­ plete specification. but the acceptance shall not be advertised nor the specification published. and no patent shall be granted in pursuance of the application. (3) Where the Registrar gives any such directions as aforesaid. he shall give notice of the application and of the directions to the com­ petent authority. and thereupon the following provisions shall have effect, that is to say: (a) the competent authority shall. upon receipt of such notice. consider whether the publication of the invention would be prejudicial to the defence of the Republic and unless a notice under paragraph (c) 'las previously been given by that authority to the Registrar, shall reconsider that ques­ tion before the expiration of nine mbnths from the date of lodging of the application for the patent and at least once .n every subsequent year; (b) for the purpose aforesaid. the competent authority may. at any time after the complete specification has been accepted or, with the consent of the applicant, at any time before the complete specification has been accepted. inspect the appli­ cation and any documents furnished to the Registrar in con­ nection therewith; (c) ifupon consideration of the invention at any time it appears to the competent authority that the publication of the inven­ tion would not, or would no longer, be prejudicial to the defence of the Republic. that authority shall give notice to the: Registrar to that effect; (d) on the receipt of any such notice the Registrar shall revoke the directions and may, subject to such conditions. if any, as he thinks fit, extend the time for doing anything required or autho­ rised to be done by or under this Act in connection with the appl.cation, whether or not that time has previously expired. Provisions for secrecy of cenain inventions