Abuse of 'dead' Section 66A of Information Technology Act: SC wants cases junked

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 6

Expressing “serious concern” over the registration of cases under Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, which was declared unconstitutional in 2015, the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the chief secretaries of states to withdraw all such cases in three weeks.

“It’s a matter of serious concern that despite an authoritative pronouncement of this court by which the validity of the provision was set aside, cases are still being registered,” a Bench led by Chief Justice of India UU Lalit noted.

It directed the chief secretaries to take remedial measures as early as possible and complete the exercise of taking back the cases in three weeks.

The Bench asked Zoheb Hossain, representing the Centre, to communicate to the chief secretaries of the states where the offences were still being registered or stand registered and impress upon them to take remedial measures as early as possible and listed the matter for hearing after three weeks.

The order came on a plea by “People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL)” alleging prosecution of people under the now scrapped Section 66A of the IT Act, which prescribed three-year imprisonment and fine for posting offensive content using a computer-like device.

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