No parallel between NDA and UPA stands on IT law: Prasad
25 March 2015 6:03 AM IST
Reacting to the Supreme Court judgement striking down Section 66(A) of the Information Technology Act, Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said if the security establishment feels there is need to consider certain aspects in the light of the order, these shall be considered in a proper structured way with due safeguards so that the constitutional rights are not frustrated.
"There can be no parallel of our stand on this matter with that of the previous UPA regime. We have in writing confirmed that we stand for freedom of speech and expression, while the previous UPA government tried to make this law an instrument to curb dissent, satire and anything else which did not suit it," he told reporters.
Cyber law provision for blocking internet sites valid: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Tuesday held as constitutionally valid section 69A of Information Technology Act, under which the Centre can exercise its power to issue directions to block an internet site, saying there are adequate procedural safeguards. It noted that reasons for blocking have to be recorded in writing in such blocking order, which would be amenable to judicial scrutiny. "Section 69A and the Information Technology (Procedure & Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 are constitutionally valid," a bench of justices J Chelameswar and R F Nariman said.
Hope no one will misuse laws now: Victim’s father
The Supreme Court's move striking down a provision that made "offensive" social network posts punishable was today welcomed by relatives of the girl who was arrested for her comments on Facebook after Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackrey's death in 2012. Speaking to the media after they came to know about the order, Shaheen Dhada's father Farooq Dhada and uncle Abdul Dhada said they welcome the apex court's ruling.
Most parties laud move; Sena disagrees
Most parties on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict scrapping a provision that made posting offensive comments online punishable with jail term, with Congress admitting to flaws in the law. JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav disagreed saying that though he respects judiciary, it was wrong to strike down the "good" provision as freedom of speech does not mean "freedom to abuse" while Shiv Sena felt it would weaken the hands of law enforcement agencies. The Left parties and Aam Aadmi Party accused both BJP and Congress of taking the "same anti-democratic position" on the issue in the court.
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram, who was part of the UPA government that introduced the controversial provision in 2008, welcomed the Supreme Court judgement holding Section 66A of the IT Act as unconstitutional, saying it was poorly drafted and misused. "I welcome the judgement of the Supreme Court holding that Section 66A of the IT Act is unconstitutional. "The section was poorly drafted and was vulnerable. It was capable of being misused and, in fact, it was misused," he said.
Congress leader Manish Tewari said section 66A was hurting the Freedom of Expression. "We welcome the decision. It (section 66A) was used by the authorities in a very knee-jerk manner. 66A was an antithesis of the Right of Freedom and Expression guaranteed by Article 19 (2). "The Supreme court has arrived at an appropriate decision. Section 66A has put too much of arbitrary power in law enforcing agencies and not withstanding the safeguard we attempted to build into it," Tewari said.
BJP spokespe We welcome the decision. It (section 66A) was used by the authorities in a very knee-jerk mannerrson Nalin Kohli said the verdict was consistent with the stand of the party and the Narendra Modi government.
"There can be no parallel of our stand on this matter with that of the previous UPA regime. We have in writing confirmed that we stand for freedom of speech and expression, while the previous UPA government tried to make this law an instrument to curb dissent, satire and anything else which did not suit it," he told reporters.
Cyber law provision for blocking internet sites valid: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Tuesday held as constitutionally valid section 69A of Information Technology Act, under which the Centre can exercise its power to issue directions to block an internet site, saying there are adequate procedural safeguards. It noted that reasons for blocking have to be recorded in writing in such blocking order, which would be amenable to judicial scrutiny. "Section 69A and the Information Technology (Procedure & Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 are constitutionally valid," a bench of justices J Chelameswar and R F Nariman said.
Hope no one will misuse laws now: Victim’s father
The Supreme Court's move striking down a provision that made "offensive" social network posts punishable was today welcomed by relatives of the girl who was arrested for her comments on Facebook after Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackrey's death in 2012. Speaking to the media after they came to know about the order, Shaheen Dhada's father Farooq Dhada and uncle Abdul Dhada said they welcome the apex court's ruling.
Most parties laud move; Sena disagrees
Most parties on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict scrapping a provision that made posting offensive comments online punishable with jail term, with Congress admitting to flaws in the law. JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav disagreed saying that though he respects judiciary, it was wrong to strike down the "good" provision as freedom of speech does not mean "freedom to abuse" while Shiv Sena felt it would weaken the hands of law enforcement agencies. The Left parties and Aam Aadmi Party accused both BJP and Congress of taking the "same anti-democratic position" on the issue in the court.
Former Union Minister P Chidambaram, who was part of the UPA government that introduced the controversial provision in 2008, welcomed the Supreme Court judgement holding Section 66A of the IT Act as unconstitutional, saying it was poorly drafted and misused. "I welcome the judgement of the Supreme Court holding that Section 66A of the IT Act is unconstitutional. "The section was poorly drafted and was vulnerable. It was capable of being misused and, in fact, it was misused," he said.
Congress leader Manish Tewari said section 66A was hurting the Freedom of Expression. "We welcome the decision. It (section 66A) was used by the authorities in a very knee-jerk manner. 66A was an antithesis of the Right of Freedom and Expression guaranteed by Article 19 (2). "The Supreme court has arrived at an appropriate decision. Section 66A has put too much of arbitrary power in law enforcing agencies and not withstanding the safeguard we attempted to build into it," Tewari said.
BJP spokespe We welcome the decision. It (section 66A) was used by the authorities in a very knee-jerk mannerrson Nalin Kohli said the verdict was consistent with the stand of the party and the Narendra Modi government.
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