Kerala's controversial ordinance on cyber-bullying gets Governor's nod
The new ordinance says, "anyone who produces content, publishes or propagates it through any means of communication with an intention to threaten, insult or harm the reputation of an individual will be punished with an imprisonment of five years or a fine of Rs 10,000 or with both”.
FollowKerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has signed the Kerala Police Act Amendment ordinance that aims to "stop bullying, insulting and disgracing individuals through social media".
According to a press note issued by the chief minister's office on the day the ordinance was approved, the new section says, "anyone who produces content, publishes or propagates it through any means of communication with an intention to threaten, insult or harm the reputation of an individual will be punished with an imprisonment of five years or a fine of Rs 10,000 or with both”.
The amendment also allows a police officer to register a case suo motu against the accused.
Opposition leaders in Kerala had expressed resentment against the amendment on the grounds that some aspects of the ordinance also cover the mass media.
Opposition Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala told media persons, "Cyber-bullying of women and children should be contained at any cost. But in the guise of fighting cyber crime the government may target journalists who are exposing many misdeeds."
However, the government has dismissed these fears with state law minister A K Balan terming the “apprehension as ill-founded"
"Our only aim is to curb cyber attacks that are posing a major threat to private life," he said.
