Thiruvananthapuram: The Cabinet has postponed the introduction of a draft Bill, aimed at regulating the media by amending the Indian Penal Code (IPC), following the objection of ministers.
When the Media Regulation Bill prepared by the Law Department came up for discussions on Wednesday, the CPI ministers cautioned that the Cabinet should consider the same only after a detailed study as there are possibilities of the move stirring controversy at the national scale.
Some of the CPM ministers too expressed the same opinion, following which Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan suggested that the draft Bill could be put off for now to enable a detailed study. He added that it could be brought back for the consideration of the next Cabinet meeting.
The Bill proposes to introduce a new sub-Section 292 (A) through legislation after amending the IPC Section 292, with an objective to curb the printing, publishing, and distribution of ‘grossly indecent or scurrilous matter or matter intended for blackmail’. It also provides for the amendment of certain sections of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in line with changes in the IPC.
The CPI minister pointed out that the same could result in the police misusing the new provision, leading to protests at the national-level.
It is widely perceived that the Government gave a thought about the new legislation following the recent allegations levelled and the private pictures shared against a prominent CPM leader by a controversial woman.
Provisions in the draft Bill also cover social media. The proposed legislation makes the exhibition of any printed or written document or picture that amounts to blackmail or shows in poor light or brings discredit to any other person, to public view, legally punishable. The Bill has prescribed imprisonment of up to two years or with a fine or with both for those found guilty.
Earlier, the Supreme Court annulled Section 118 (D) of the Kerala Police Act besides Section 66 (A) of the IT Act, declaring them unconstitutional for violating the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression. It was to overcome this that the Government first attempted an amendment to the Police Act in 2020. The new Bill is said to include the same provisions but in a distinct form.