×

UPSC Courses

DNA banner

DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

Monthly DNA

18 Jul, 2021

10 Min Read

MHA requested States and UTs not to use Section 66A of IT Act, 2000

GS-II : Governance IT act

MHA requested States and UTs not to use Section 66A of IT Act, 2000

  • The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has requested States and Union Territories (UTs)to direct all police stations under their jurisdiction not to register cases under the repealed Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

  • It has also asked the States and UTs to sensitize law enforcement agencies for the compliance of the order issued by the Supreme Court on 24.03.2015.
  • The MHA has also requested that if any case has been booked in States and UTs under section 66A of the IT Act, 2000, such cases should be immediately withdrawn.
  • The Supreme Court in its judgment on 24.03.2015 in the matter of Shreya Singhal Vs. Union of India had struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
  • This made Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 null and void with effect from the date of the order, therefore 24.03.2015 and hence no action could be taken under this section.

About Section 66A of IT Act, 2000

  • Section 66A dealt with information-related crimes in which sending information, by means of a computer resource or a communication device, which is inter alia offensive, derogatory and menacing is made a punishable offence.
  • In Shreya Singhal v. Union of India judgement, Justices Rohinton F. Nariman and J. Chelameswar observed that the weakness of Section 66A lay in the fact that it had created an offence on the basis of undefined actions: such as causing “inconvenience, danger, obstruction and insult”, which do not fall among the exceptions granted under Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of speech.
  • The court also observed that the challenge was to identify where to draw the line. Traditionally, it has been drawn at incitement while terms like obstruction and insult remain subjective.
  • In addition, the court had noted that Section 66A did not have procedural safeguards like other sections of the law with similar aims, such as :
    1. The need to obtain the concurrence of the Centre before action can be taken.
    2. Local authorities could proceed autonomously, literally on the whim of their political masters.
  • The judgment had found that Section 66A was contrary to both Articles 19 (free speech) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution. The entire provision was struck down by the court.
  • After that government appointed an expert committee (T.K. Viswanathan committee) which proposed legislation to meet the challenge of hate speech online.

Recent News:

  • The Supreme Court on Monday found it “distressing”, “shocking” and “terrible” that people were still booked and tried under Section 66A of the Information Technology (IT) Act even six years after it struck down the provision as unconstitutional and a violation of free speech.
  • Section 66A had prescribed three years’ imprisonment if a social media message caused “annoyance” or was found “grossly offensive”.
  • The court, in the Shreya Singhal judgment authored by Justice Rohinton F. Nariman in March 2015, had concluded that the provision was vague and worded arbitrarily.
  • On Monday, senior advocate Sanjay Parikh and advocate Aparna Bhat, for the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), said the number of cases registered under Section 66A had actually increased post the judgment.
  • “What is going on is terrible, distressing! We will issue notice,” Justice Nariman, heading a three-judge Bench comprising Justices K.M. Joseph and B.R. Gavai, exclaimed.
  • Attorney General K.K. Venugopal pointed out that law books published post the verdict featured the non-existent Section 66A “in full”. “The police officer, while registering a case, looks at only the Section in the main text... The fact that the Section has been struck down is given only as a footnote...,” he submitted.

Source: PIB

North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR) at Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh

GS-III : S&T Health

North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR) at Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh

  • Cabinet approves the change of nomenclature & mandate of North Eastern Institute of Folk Medicine (NEIFM) as North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Folk Medicine Research (NEIAFMR).
  • The NEIFM, Pasighat was established for systemic research, documentation and validation of traditional folk medicine and health practices of the region.
  • The objectives for which the Institute was established include to function as an apex research centre for all aspects of Folk Medicine, to create an interface between traditional healers and scientific research, to survey, documentation and validation of folk medicine practices, remedies and therapies for possible usage in public health care and future research etc.
  • The inclusion of Ayurveda within the mandate of the Institute will be highly beneficial for the people of the North East region by imparting quality education and research in Ayurveda and Folk medicine.
  • The institute will also provide opportunities for students of Ayurveda and Folk medicine not only in India but also the neighbouring countries such as Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, China and other Central Asian countries.

Source: PIB

Other Related News

17 July,2021
Recent Verdicts by Supreme Court on Sedition in India

It is time to define the limits of sedition: Supreme Court What is the news? The Supreme Court said “it is time to define the limits of sedition” even as it protected two Telugu channels from any coercive action by the Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government for the

Indian National Congress - Foundation and the Moderate Phase

Indian National Congress - Foundation and the Moderate Phase Foundation of Indian National Congress First session held in 1885 (Bombay). Indian National Union, formed by A.O. Hume, became Indian National Congress. Foundational theories of INC and prominent believers: Safety V

Initiatives for Energy Efficiency in India

Initiatives for Energy Efficiency in India The Ministry of Power is implementing measures to save energy with an objective to reduce  CO2 emission levels in the environment from industries, establishments and by using equipment/ appliances. In this regard, Perform Achieve and Trade (PA

Automated Train Toilet Sewerage Disposal System

Automated Train Toilet Sewerage Disposal System Automated Train Toilet Sewerage Disposal System: 7 times cheaper alternative to Biotoilets An automated technology for collection of toilet waste which is easy to maintain and seven times cheaper alternative to the bio-toilets, developed b

16 July,2021
Sugarcane Cultivation in India

Sugarcane Cultivation in India Sugarcane belongs to the Poaceae family of true grasses. It is a tropical and perennial grass which attains a length of 10 to 20 feet. A single plant of sugarcane has ‘many stems’ in a tuft. Since ancient times, Sugar has been produced in the local

Rising Neurological & Non Communicable Diseases in India

Rising Neurological & Non-Communicable Diseases in India First comprehensive estimates of disease burden due to neurological disorders and their trends were published in The Lancet Global Health. About the Report- The findings have been published under the title of ‘The burden

Cabinet Approves Subsidy scheme for Merchant Shipping

Cabinet Approves Subsidy scheme for Merchant Shipping Cabinet has recently approved a scheme for the promotion of merchant ships in India by providing subsidy support to Indian shipping companies in global tenders floated by Ministries and CPSEs. Key features of the scheme: The scheme

Era of Militant Nationalism

    Era of Militant Nationalism Why Militant Nationalism Grew 1. Realisation that the true nature of British rule was exploitative, and that the British India government, instead of conceding more, was taking away even what existed.            

‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD)

‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) The ‘National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive’ (PRASHAD) is a Central Sector Scheme fully financed by the Government of India

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered grievance management application

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered grievance management application Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered grievance management application in New Delhi on July 15, 2021, developed by the Ministry of Defence with the help of IIT-Kanpur. This is t

Toppers

Search By Date

Newsletter Subscription
SMS Alerts

Important Links

UPSC GS Mains Crash Course - RAW Prelims Answer Key 2024