Five-member SC bench to hear petitions challenging Online Safety Act

A five-member Supreme Court bench has been appointed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya to consider the fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed challenging the passing of the Online Safety Act in the parliament.

The petitions were called before the judge bench chaired by Supreme Court Justice S. Thurairajah, on Monday (March 25).

Filed by Transparency International and several other parties, the petitions seek a Supreme Court order determining that the passage of the Bill in the parliament and the Speaker’s move to endorse his certificate on the document were unlawful as the amendments recommended by the Supreme Court were excluded in the legislation that seeks to regulate online content.

The petitions have been fixed for July 24 for confirmation of facts.

Online Safety Bill was passed in the parliament on January 24 amidst objections from opposition politicians and activists who allege the new law will muzzle free speech. It came into effect as the Online Safety Act on February 01 after Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena endorsed his certificate on the Bill.

The controversial Bill garnered not only the attention of local activists and organisations, but also that of diplomats and large international organisations, claiming that the Bill had numerous problematic aspects.