The Kerala High Court on Tuesday closed the challenges to Section 118A of Kerala Police Act after the repeal of the provision. The division bench of Chief Justice S. Manikumar and Justice Shaji P. Chaly closed the petitions challenging the controversial Section 118A of the Kerala Police Act, 2011.
Section 118A, which was inserted by the Kerala Government by an ordinance in November, drew the anger of the public, after which it was withdrawn by a second ordinance. Therefore the Chief Justice-led Bench closed proceedings while stating nothing left in the matter.
The provision had penalised any expression, publication or dissemination of threatening, abusive, defamatory or humiliating content made through any mode of communication punishable if the person does it knowing it to be false and damaging to reputation or mind of another person.The provision had prescribed punishment of up to 3 years imprisonment or fine of Rs 10,000 or both.
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Earlier, when the petitions challenging the controversial provision first came up for hearing , the Court had directed that no adverse action could be taken by resorting to the provision.