New Delhi: India has dismissed concerns raised over new Information Technology rules, saying the country has a democratic structure and freedom of speech and expression are guaranteed under the Constitution.
Responding over the concerns raised against India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Permanent Mission of India today said that “country’s democratic credentials are well recognized.”
Indian constitution guarantees Right to freedom of speech and expression and the independent judiciary and a robust media are part of India’s democratic structure, it said while replying to the concerns raised by Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting undertook broad consultations in 2018 with various stakeholders, including individuals, civil society, industry association and organizations and invited public comments to prepare the draft rules.
Thereafter an inter-ministerial meeting had discussed in detail the comments received in detail and, accordingly, the Rules were finalised, it said in a letter.
“The Permanent Mission of India to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva presents its compliments to the Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council and has the honour to refer to the Joint Communication No. OL IND 8/2021 dated 11th June, 2021, from the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression; the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and the Special Rapporteur on the right to privacy and to enclose a brief Information Note on India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the statement read.
“The Permanent Mission of India would also like to highlight that India’s democratic credentials are well recognized. The right to freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. The independent judiciary and a robust media are part of India’s democratic structure” it added.
It further requests that the enclosed information may be brought to the attention of the concerned Special Rapporteurs.
The Permanent Mission of India to the Office of the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Special Procedures Branch of the Human Rights Council the assurances of its highest consideration, the statement said.
