Online Safety Bill approved by Sectoral Oversight Committee on Media

Parliament, Jan. 22 (Daily Mirror)- The Online Safety Bill was approved by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Media, Youth, Heritage and New Citizen subject to the amendments determined by the Supreme Court, the Communications Department of Parliament said.

The bill was approved when the Sectoral Oversight Committee met in Parliament today (22) under the chairmanship of Parliamentarian Lalith Warankumara.

The bill will be taken for the second reading debate tomorrow.

Officials representing the Ministry of Public Security, the Attorney General's Department, the Legal Draftsman’s Department, Sri Lanka Police and the National Secretariat of Non-Governmental Organizations joined the meeting. 

The members of the committee, Gayantha Karunathilake, Jayantha Katagoda, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Jagath Samarawickrama and S. M. M. Musharraf were present at the meeting

MP Gayantha Karunathileka, Eran Wickramaratne and Chandima Weerakkodi pointed out to the committee that further time is required to make amendments to the draft bill and that there should be policy amendments in this regard. 

MPs Eran Wickramaratne and Chandima Weerakkodi also participated.

They pointed out that it is important to get more time without passing this bill quickly in parliament.

Accordingly, the chairman of the committee mentioned that parliament will be informed about the matter presented by these members.