Tamil Nadu: PIL Filed Against DMK Govt's Fact Checking Unit In Madras HC By AIADMK IT Wing Functionary

A public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the constitution of a Fact Checking Unit (FCU) by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu has been filed in the Madras High Court by R Nirmal Kumar, the joint secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (AIADMK) IT Wing.

According to a report by The Hindu, the PIL contends that the state government does not have the authority to set up an FCU, outside the framework of the state's police department.

Kumar also contended that it was an attack on the freedom of speech and expression and an attempt to suppress the views of the opposition parties.

Further, he alleged that the government had appointed a DMK supporter, Iyan Karthikeyan, as the Mission Director.

The plea requested the Court to declare the Government Order regarding setting up of the FCU as unconstitutional and grant an interim injunction to restrain Karthikeyan from continuing in the post.

Kumar also mentioned that the police had recently submitted before a bench of Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy of the Madras High Court, that it had constituted social media cells to take action against offensive, abusive, filthy and defamatory posts as per a direction to the Director General of Police (DGP) by Justice M Dhandapani in 2020.

Regarding the Centre's proposed FCU under the Information Technology Act 2020, he stated that it had been kept on hold after a challenge before the Bombay High Court and that the Court had reserved its verdict after the completion of hearings.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu: DMK Govt Sets Up 'Fact Checking Unit'; Appoints Former YouTurn Chief Editor Iyan Karthikeyan As Mission Director