A petition was filed before the Supreme Court (SC) against the Online Safety Bill yesterday (3) by activist and journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara, claiming that certain provisions of the Bill in question do not comply with the Constitution.

The petitioner further claimed that provisions of the Bill violated certain fundamental human rights, including the right to freedom of speech and expression.

Thus, Uduwaragedara filed the petition seeking a Court order that in order for the Bill to be passed, it must be done with a two-thirds majority in Parliament, and a referendum. 

The much-debated Online Safety Bill was tabled in Parliament yesterday by Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, despite being under fire for some of its problematic aspects.

The Bill, published in the Government gazette on 18 September, aims to prohibit the online communication of certain statements within the country, to 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 therein.