The Editors Guild of India on Tuesday issued a statement condemning the recent "disturbing" amendment to the Kerala Police Act, and urging Pinarayi Vijayan, the chief minister of the state, to immediately withdraw it.
"The Editors Guild of India urges the Chief Minister of Kerala to withdraw the disturbing amendment to the Kerala Police Act 118 A immediately, which provides for up to three years of punishment for publication of material with an intention to intimidate, insult, or defame any person through social media," the statement read.
The statement by the Guild acknowledged that the state government has placed the amendment "on hold until discussed by the state assembly". However, it still pointed out that the ordinance is in force and can be subjected to "grave misuse".
"Although the government has placed the amendment on hold until discussed by the state assembly and has given an assurance to the Kerala High Court that the state police will not take any adverse actions, but the ordinance is still in force and has the potential for grave misuse and should be withdrawn forthwith," the statement added.
The Guild further said that the amendment to the Kerala Police Act "would deeply hurt the cause of free speech and freedom of press as it gives unbridled powers to the police to target political opposition and the press in the name of monitoring content on social media."
The statement was signed by the president, general secretary, and treasurer of the Guild.
The Kerala government on Tuesday assured the High Court here that no FIRs would be launched on the basis of the amendment brought to the Police Act, which has triggered a political storm across the country.
The government gave the assurance while a division bench, comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly was considering a batch of petitions, challenging the constitutional validity of an amendment to the Police Act brought by the state's ruling CPI(M)-led LDF government.
When the court pointed out that the ordinance has been issued, the government assured that no FIRs would be launched on the basis of the newly incorporated amendment. The court recorded the government submission and adjourned the matter for Wednesday for consideration.
The amendment made it mandatory for providing for up to five years jail term to those making defamatory social media posts.
The court also received a batch of petitions challenging the controversial amendment to the Police Act. The government has put on hold the amendment as the law triggered a political storm across the country, with many describing the measure as an assault on freedom of expression and media.
(With inputs from agencies)
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