Sec 57 to be replaced with new provision

The government is going to replace Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (Amendment) Act, 2013 with Section 9 of the new Digital Security Act. Law ministry sources said that an inter-ministerial committee, formed to scrutinize the draft Digital Security Act, held a meeting on May 16 and proposed the incorporation of a section in the Digital Security Act by simplifying Section 57 of the ICT Act to ensure freedom of expression.
Sources also said that four provisions—Sections 54 to 57—would be deleted from the ICT Act and included in the Digital Security Act.
They also said the inter-ministerial committee would hold another meeting next month to finalise the Digital Security Act. Talking to this correspondent, law minister Anisul Huq said that Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act would be scrapped and merged with a new Digital Security Act.
“The new law is being formulated to end the confusion arising from Section 57 of the ICT Act, which is said to be in contradiction with freedom of expression. The Digital Security Act will remove all ambiguities associated with this section,” he said.
A senior law ministry official said on condition of anonymity that after formulating the Digital Security Act some provisions, including Section 57 of the ICT Act, would be repealed.
But a clause will be incorporated in the Digital Security Act in line with Section 57 of the ICT Act, he added. He also said that the inter-ministerial committee proposed to bring Section 57 of the ICT Act into Section 9 of the Digital Security Act. The committee would finalise the matter next month.
 According to Section 57, if a person deliberately publishes any material in the electronic form that causes deterioration of law and order, prejudices the image of the state or a person, or hurts religious sentiments, the offender could be punished with a maximum of 14 years and a minimum of seven years of imprisonment. It will also be considered as a non-bailable offence.  Following the repeated demands of human rights activists, national and international journalist organisations, and legal experts, the government has taken the decision to simplify Section 57 of the ICT Act through the incorporation of a section in the Digital Security Act. The Digital Security Act is now with the law ministry for vetting.

Sec 57 to be replaced with new provision

The government is going to replace Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (Amendment) Act, 2013 with Section 9 of the new Digital Security Act. Law ministry sources said that an inter-ministerial committee, formed to scrutinize the draft Digital Security Act, held a meeting on May 16 and proposed the incorporation of a section in the Digital Security Act by simplifying Section 57 of the ICT Act to ensure freedom of expression. Sources also said that four provisionsSections 54 to 57would be deleted from the ICT Act and included in the Digital Security Act. They also said the inter-ministerial committee would hold another meeting next month to finalise the Digital Security Act. Talking to this correspondent, law minister Anisul Huq said that Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act would be scrapped and merged with a new Digital Security Act. The new law is being formulated to end the confusion arising from Section 57 of the ICT Act, which is said to be in contradiction with freedom of expression. The Digital Security Act will remove all ambiguities associated with this section, he said. A senior law ministry official said on condition of anonymity that after formulating the Digital Security Act some provisions, including Section 57 of the ICT Act, would be repealed. But a clause will be incorporated in the Digital Security Act in line with Section 57 of the ICT Act, he added. He also said that the inter-ministerial committee proposed to bring Section 57 of the ICT Act into Section 9 of the Digital Security Act. The committee would finalise the matter next month. According to Section 57, if a person deliberately publishes any material in the electronic form that causes deterioration of law and order, prejudices the image of the state or a person, or hurts religious sentiments, the offender could be punished with a maximum of 14 years and a minimum of seven years of imprisonment. It will also be considered as a non-bailable offence. Following the repeated demands of human rights activists, national and international journalist organisations, and legal experts, the government has taken the decision to simplify Section 57 of the ICT Act through the incorporation of a section in the Digital Security Act. The Digital Security Act is now with the law ministry for vetting.