SC warns against silencing people’s voice on Internet

NEW DELHI, Apr 30: Terming the second wave of COVID-19 as a “national crisis”, the Supreme Court today warned authorities, from the Centre down to police chiefs, against silencing people and their pleas for help on the presumption that they are raising false grievances on the internet.
The top court made clear that any attempt to clampdown on free flow of information on social media including the call for help from people would be treated as the contempt of court.
“There should be free flow of information, we should hear voices of citizens,” said a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud, and asked the Centre, States and all DGPs not to take any action against anyone who is posting messages on Social Media about issues like shortage of oxygen, beds or doctors as spreading rumour.
“If any action is taken against such posts by citizens in distress, we will treat it as contempt of the court,” said the bench which also comprised Justices L Nageswara Rao and S Ravindra Bhat.
The observations assume significance in view the recent decision of the Uttar Pradesh administration to prosecute people under the National Security Act for allegedly raising false alarms on Social Media. (PTI)