A private members resolution moved in Parliament, to withdraw the draconian Section 66A of the IT Act, moved by MP P. Rajeeve, was withdrawn last week following assurances from Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal that the resolution will be taken up after the Supreme Court of India rules on it. There is a public interest litigation in the Supreme Court challenging this rule. However, the withdrawal wasn't without some resistance, as Rajeeve pointed towards the lack of any action from Sibal and the Indian government, regarding a consultation on the draconian IT Rules which were passed by the government last year. Sibal hasn't given a specific timeframe for the consultation process, stating that the Supreme Court needs to first deliver a judgment. Thus, Section 66A remains in force until the Supreme Court adjudicates on the issue. Rajeeve's resolution proposed four changes: (a) amend Section 66A of the I.T. Act, 2000, in line with the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India; (b) restrict the application of Section 66A of the Act to the communication between two persons; (c) precisely define the offence covered by Section 66A of the Act; (d) reduce the penalty imposed by Section 66A of the Act and make the offence under Section 66A of the Act a non-cognizable one. An overview of the debate in Parliament below: Kapil Sibal's Points on Section 66A and IT Rules: - Difference between the print media and the social media: in print media, the identity of the person is always…
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