Internet Needs Stricter Restrictions Than Print, TV : Center Tells SC

26 Feb,New Delhi

Government of India said reach and impact of internet is wider and the level of restriction on this medium should be higher in comparison to print and television.

Centre told Supreme Court that the web does not exist and operate in an institutional form and there is a need for some mechanism to put checks and balances on this medium although it is impossible to regulate it.

Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, there are institutions which are working in other media whether it is paper, television or cinema and there is an institutional approach and there are checks like pre-censorship for TV and films. But in internet, there is individual approach and there is no checks and balances or license, Mr Mehta told the bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Rohinton Fali Nariman.

Justifying retention of penal provision of Section 66A of Information Technology Act for posting offensive material on social networking sites, Mehta said, considering the reach and impact of internet, leeway should be given to legislature to frame rules.

The court was hearing a bunch of petitions challenging constitutional validity of Section 66A on the ground that it violates fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression.