NEW DELHI: Indian Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah on Friday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that deals with those spreading “fake news or misleading information” jeopardising the sovereignty and security of India.
The proposed bill, named Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023, has been referred to the Standing Committee for review and contains a provision under section 195 that states those found guilty of spreading fake news against India will be punished for up to three years of imprisonment.
“…makes or publishes false or misleading information jeopardising the sovereignty unity and integrity or security of India, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both,” Section 195 (1) d of the bill reads.
This section falls under Chapter 11 of the bill under the subject of ‘Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration.’
Previously, these provisions were under Section 153B of the Indian Penal Code.
Moreover, Amit — a close aide of the Indian premier and a former president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — introduced two other bills aimed at ensuring that people are treated justly and their constitutional rights are protected.
Amit, while introducing the bills, claimed the three new laws — The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023 and Bharatiya Sakhshya Bill, 2023 — would protect all the rights given by Constitution to the citizens.
He added that these bills fulfiled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vow to “end all signs of slavery”.
Moreover, if these bills are passed and become laws, they will abolish the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Criminal Procedure Code, (1898), 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 dating back to the British era.
Amit remarked: “The Indian Penal Code, 1860 will be replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Bill, 2023; the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898 will be replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita Bill, 2023 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 will be replaced by the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023.”
The proposed bills come merely three days after the Indian premier won a no-confidence vote in the Lok Sabha.
The motion was put forward by Congress in a bid to force Modi to speak on ongoing ethnic clashes in Manipur state.
