New Delhi: A day after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a notification for setting up of a Fact Check Unit (FCU) under the Press Information Bureau (PIB) to address the challenge of fake news, the Supreme Court today put a stay on the notification.
Three-judge bench including Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also set aside the Bombay High Court’s go-ahead order to the government’s move. The bench clarified that the stay would operate till the Bombay High Court decides the pleas challenging validity of the amendments introduced to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
In its notification, the government said that FCU will counter misinformation on its policies, initiatives and schemes either suo motu or under a reference via complaints through various modes, including through WhatsApp, email and X (formerly, Twitter).
However, Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and the Editors Guild of India had moved the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to restrain the Centre from notifying the Fact Check Unit. However, the court turned down the plea and allowed the centre to issue the notification.
In an order passed on March 11, Justice AS Chandurkar of the Bombay High Court — the tie breaker judge — refused to extend the benefit of the statement made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the FCU would not be notified till the judgment is delivered in the case.
On January 31, a division bench of the High Court gave a split verdict on pleas challenging the amended IT Rules.
Also Read: Congress Cries Foul Over Frozen Party Funds, Calls It A ‘Criminal Action’: Rahul Gandhi
(With inputs from IANS)
Ms Kalinga