Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill : Details revealed on penalties & fines

The Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill was introduced to Parliament on Friday, with provisions that could impose penalties on those who misuse telephone communication.

Leader of the House Susil Premajayantha presented the bill which proposes fines of up to Rs. 100,000 and potential disconnection of telephone services for those persistently causing annoyance or inconvenience without a reasonable excuse.

The amended bill presented to Parliament after a period of 28 years, also stipulates harsher penalties for those found deliberately inciting public unrest through their communications, with possible fines reaching Rs. 1 million or even imprisonment, alongside daily fines of Rs. 1,500 for ongoing offences. 

The bill has attracted some criticism as critics note that the legislation has not been drafted after public consultations. 

Notably, the legislation targets misinformation provided to telecommunications officials, with penalties including fines up to Rs. 100,000 and the forfeiture of the telecommunications apparatus involved.

The bill grants new powers to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission to manage submarine cables within Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, collaborating with the Sri Lanka Navy, the Department of Coast Guard, and the Sri Lanka Police to enforce these provisions. (Newswire)