Online Safety Bill can be passed with simple majority – SC
The Supreme Court has determined that neither the Online Safety Bill nor its provisions are inconsistent with the Constitution and it can be passed in Parliament with a simple majority subject to the amendment of some clauses.
The Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse announced the Supreme Court’s decision on the Bill in Parliament yesterday at the beginning of the session.
The Supreme Court has further stated that this Bill can be passed by a simple majority in the Parliament if it is amended at the Committee stage, subject to the amendments proposed in the Supreme Court decision in respect of several clauses.
As such, the Supreme Court has arrived at the conclusion that subject to the aforementioned particulars, neither the Online Safety Bill nor its provisions are inconsistent with the Constitution. The Online Safety Bill was gazetted on September 15, 2023, by order of the Public Security Minister.
About 45 petitions have been filed at the Supreme Court against the proposed bill claiming that the Bill would curtail media freedom and violate the fundamental rights of the public.
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