Cannot use hammer to kill ants: Mumbai High Court said on fake news – changes in IT rules of the Center can be huge

The Bombay High Court has termed the amendment made in the Central Government’s IT rules to curb fake news as too strict. Justice Gautam Patel and Justice Nila Gokhale’s bench said on Friday – Changes in the rules can be huge. You cannot use a hammer to kill an ant.

The bench was hearing petitions challenging the amended IT rules. Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, Editors Guild of India and Association of Indian Magazines have filed a petition in the High Court against the rules of the Central Government.

The petitioners have termed them as arbitrary and unconstitutional and claimed that they would adversely affect the fundamental rights of the citizens. The bench said that the government is as much a participant in the democratic process as is a citizen.

So a citizen has a fundamental right to question and seek answers and the government is bound to answer.

The court asked – who will investigate the fact checking unit
The court also questioned as to who would investigate the fact checking unit to be set up under the amended rules. Justice Patel said- There is a perception that what the FCU says is unquestionably the ultimate truth.

The court said – have not been able to understand the need behind amending the rules
Justice Patel said that he has not yet understood the need behind amending the rules. It seems difficult that an authority of government has been given absolute power to decide what is fake, false and misleading.