The Supreme Court has declined to grant leave to proceed with the petition filed by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M.A. Sumanthiran, who contested the passage of the contentious Online Safety Bill in Parliament.
Sumanthiran submitted a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court on February 14, listing Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and the Attorney General as respondents.
In his petition, the TNA MP contested the Speaker’s certification of the Online Safety Act, alleging that the Speaker had overlooked several recommendations made by the Supreme Court regarding specific provisions of the Act. He further claimed that the Attorney General had failed to diligently advise both the Parliament and its Speaker on the matter.
The Online Safety Bill has been a focal point of debate and dispute, with various parties expressing concerns about potential restrictions on freedom of expression and other possible Constitutional violations through its provisions.
