The Kerala government on Tuesday assured the High Court that no FIRs would be launched on the basis of the amendment brought to the Police Act, which has set off a political storm across the country. The government gave the assurance while a division bench, consisting of Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly was mulling 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.
"No coercive action will be taken on the basis of the newly inserted Section 118A in the Kerala Police Act, 2011, which has been put on hold," the Additional Advocate General pointed to the court. When the court said 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.
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