Online Safety Bill Heads for Legal Review

by Zulfick Farzan 27-01-2024 | 10:52 AM

COLOMBO (News 1st): Following its passage in Parliament on January 24th, the controversial Online Safety Bill will undergo further legal scrutiny before being officially signed into law.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced that the Attorney General's Department will investigate whether all amendments inserted during the legislative process were properly implemented as per Supreme Court directives.

The Speaker assured that "every bill" undergoes such scrutiny by the Attorney General's office to ensure adherence to legal procedures and address any potential deficiencies.

Additionally, a team of parliamentary officials will conduct a second review after receiving confirmation from the Attorney General. Only after these safeguards are met will the Speaker sign and finalize the bill.

The bill's passage through Parliament itself was a closely contested affair.

The Second Reading of the Bill was passed by a majority of 46 votes. 108 votes were cast in favor of the Bill and 62 votes were cast against it.

The Third Reading of the Bill was then passed without a vote.

The Online Safety Bill aims to regulate online content in Sri Lanka, but critics warn it could lead to censorship and suppression of free speech.