The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to all states and Union Territories (UTs) on a petition, seeking direction to the Centre to advise all police stations against registering FIRs under Section 66A, which was declared unconstitutional by the top court on March 24, 2015.
Central government told to respond over use of Section 66A of IT Act in cases pending at various trial courts despite the provision had been struck down by by the Supreme Court in 2015. Seniormost judge Justice Rohinton Nariman expressed surprise at the continued use of the penal provision.
How does one ensure protection of working journalists? Every country, including Pakistan, has tried its hand at drafting and imposing laws which usually exist only on paper and have remained difficult to implement.