Passage 1
The Supreme Court stayed the operation of the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules, which empowered the government to identify “fake news” on social media platforms through a “Fact Check Unit” (FCU).
The Union Electronics and IT Ministry had notified the FCU, as a body under the Press Information Bureau with powers to flag what it believes is false information related to the central government and its agencies on social media sites.
The amendment to the IT Rules, 2021, which allowed the Ministry to appoint the FCU, were notified in April 2023. On January 31 this year, a two-judge Bench of the HC gave a split verdict on a challenge to the Rules.
Source – https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-law
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Passage 2
Recently, hours after resigning as a judge of the Calcutta High Court, announced that he was joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The judge’s decision to join politics and the manner in which it was taken has raised questions of judicial impropriety. Some people disapprove of the practice of judges holding official posts after retirement; they believe that this may impinge upon the independence of the judiciary. Others, including those in the government, have pointed out that such posts often require judicial personnel of the highest integrity and there is no Constitution bar to this effect. Should judges accept official posts after retirement? Justice Deepak Gupta and Sanjay Hedge discuss this question in a conversation moderated by Aaratrika Bhaumik.
Source- https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-e
