SC to pronounce verdict on constitutional validity of IT Act Section 66A

The Supreme Court on Tuesday will deliver its verdict on the constitutional validity of the IT Act Section 66A.

A group of petitioners seek the setting aside of the section, which empowers the police to arrest a person for allegedly posting 'offensive materials' on social networking sites.

The first PIL was filed in 2012 after two girls in Thane were arrested after commenting against the shutdown in Mumbai following Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray's death. In 2013, the apex court had come out with an advisory under which a person cannot be arrested without the police receiving permission from senior officers.

However, the Supreme Court refused to pass an interim order for a blanket ban on such arrests.