Guj will bring bill to tame haters on social media

The Gujarat government is set to present a bill that is expected to curb the spread of hate messages on social media. The bill will be tabled in the upcoming Budget session of the Assembly.

The aim is to draw up an act that will penalise those spreading hate messages on social media against gods, religions, government, public figures, individuals, parties or ogranisations. Under the act, police will be given the power to take action against those generating and spreading hate messages.

The Gujarat government had initiated the drafting of the bill in July last year, but had to put it on hold due to the Rajya Sabha elections.

"The legal consultation on the bill was almost complete and drafting was about to start, but some accomplishments were to be made for the final draft. Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha elections came and the ruling BJP was engaged in managing political equations and, therefore, the final formalities could not be completed," sources in the government said.

"The consultation is in the final stages. The bill will be tabled by the end of the session," sources said.

According to sources in the Home department, "This act will curb hate messages against politicians as well. Currently there are the IT Act and IPC, but courts and different legal forums do not always uphold pleas or arguments of the police as provisions in the existing acts are not sufficient or strong."

"This will be a special act. The government has asked officials of the Home, Legal, Parliamentary and Legislation and Information and Technology departments to form a draft of the act, which will be finally approved during the cabinet meeting on Wednesday and will be tabled in the House on the same day," sources said.

The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, which was amended in 2008, has provision for punishment for publishing or transmitting objectionable contents under sections 67 and 66E. The new act of the Gujarat government will give additional powers to police to take action against those who spread such messages on social media in the name of freedom of expression, sources added.