Curb social media during polls: PIL

THE PIL SAID A MECHANISM TO ASCERTAIN THE VERACITY OF USERS MUST BE PUT IN PLACE BY SOCIAL MEDIA SITES — ALSO PARTY TO THE PIL

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court (HC) on Friday asked the Union of India to file a reply within two weeks to a public interest litigation (PIL) that called for regulation of social media, which tends to be misused before elections, alleged the petitioner.

The PIL also sought directions to the Union to frame laws that will place restrictions on candidates in the 2019 elections from using social media to advertise themselves.

As the PIL sought directions to the Election Commission (EC) to frame laws in this regard, the HC directed the petitioner to make the EC a party to the PIL.

The PIL was heard by the division bench of chief justice Naresh Patil and justice Makarand Karnik. wherein the petitioner, Sagar Suryawanshi, said fake users were using social media platforms to spread hate speeches and messages among the common public to incite them. Advocate Sagar Kursija, appearing for Suryawanshi, told the bench that in light of the upcoming elections in 2019, the court should direct the Union to frame laws that will put restrictions on the use of social media.

However, advocate Shardul Singh, appearing for the Union of India, argued the court could not direct the legislature to frame or amend laws. Singh said the prayer of the petitioner to amend Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act could not be done through an order in the PIL.

After hearing both sides, the bench directed the Union to file an affidavit and also directed the petitioner to make the EC a party to the PIL and scheduled the next hearing after two weeks.