Previously, Section 57 of the ICT Act was vague in its wording, effectively handing a blank check to law enforcement agencies to harass citizens and journalists, and Section 19 is no different.
When any legitimate criticism can be construed as offensive, all free speech, which includes freedom of the press, is under threat.
These freedoms are essential to any democracy, and the curbing of these freedoms is a most disturbing trend.
There is plenty of scope for misuse and abuse of this law -- that is why it is imperative that the government have a mechanism for a complaint to be investigated before a case is filed.
