The Supreme Court recently issued a notice to the Centre on the use of Section 66A of the IT Act that was scrapped several years ago and said that it is shocking that the judgment striking down the law has not been implemented even now.
Context
The Supreme Court recently issued a notice to the Centre on the use of Section 66A of the IT Act that was scrapped several years ago and said that it is shocking that the judgment striking down the law has not been implemented even now.
Background
Analysis
What is section 66A of IT Act, 2000 ?
Punishment for sending offensive messages through communication service, etc.–Any person who sends, by means of a computer resource or a communication device,–
Reasons to struck down Section 66A
Shreya Singhal Judgement’s Order
Why we need a regulatory mechanism for online media?
Creating a balance between granting a right and preventing its misuse
Conclusion
Every law is vulnerable to exploitation. Mere prospect of abuse should not have been the ground for removing an essential provision in totality because almost every other legal provision will then be liable to be removed by the same logic. Seeing as the right to free speech in consonance with right to protect one’s dignity and reputation is a basic right, this case might have been an appropriate opportunity for the Court to propose a workable distinction between protecting rights and restricting them.
Verifying, please be patient.