The Socialist Youth Union (SYU) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking an order declaring that the Online Safety Bill tabled in the parliament by the government is in violation of the constitution.

The petition was filed by the President of the SYU Eranga Gunasekara today (Oct. 05), naming the Attorney General as a respondent.

The petitioner alleges that the relevant bill is in violation of the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution.

Thereby, the petitioning party seeks an order determining that if the relevant bill shall be passed, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority in parliament and also by a referendum.

Two more petitions were filed against the Bill in question yesterday (04 Oct.), by social activist and  independent journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara and the General Secretary of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, SJBh’s Rehan Jayawickrema and Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) member Prof. G.L. Peiris.

The much-debated Online Safety Bill was tabled in parliament on Tuesday (03) by Minister of Security Tiran Alles, despite backlash over certain problematic aspects of the bill.

The Bill, published in the government gazette on 18 September, aims to prohibit online communication of certain statements within the country, prevent the use of online accounts – both authentic and inauthentic – for the use of prohibited purposes, to make provisions to identify and declare online locations used for prohibited purposes, to suppress the financing and other support of communication of false statements and for other matters connected therewith.