Not happy with govt takedown notices reply, says TMC LS member Abhishek Banerjee

NEW DELHI: Writing to Speaker Om Birla Wednesday, TMC LS member Abhishek Banerjee said the reply from the minister of electronics and IT to his written question in the House on “

takedown notices

submitted to

social media platforms

” was “not satisfactory,” reports Mohua Chatterjee.
By writing to Birla, Banerjee followed House rules which say a member can write to Speaker if not satisfied with the answers from govt.
Banerjee had wanted to know about (a) number of takedown notices submitted by various ministries to social media platforms during last three years, ministry-wise; (b) whether govt has a comprehensive list of these takedown notices, specifying for each the date of submission, the underlying reasons; (c) measures in place to review outcomes and impacts of these takedown notices; and (d) manner in which govt ensures such actions conform with

constitutional protections

of

free speech

and due process.
Without providing for specific answers to the questions, minister of state for electronics and IT, Jitin Prasada told LS in a written reply that, “notices for takedown of any such information on the intermediary platform are sent directly by the respective appropriate govts or their authorised agencies where appropriate govt can be both the State and Central govt as per Seventh Schedule to the Constitution.”