Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2019-06-04

Amendment to the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure enabling to Institute Legal Action for disseminating Fake News

- The Sectoral Committee on National Security has requested the Ministry of Justice & Prison Reforms to take action to bring an amendment to the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure, enabling to institute legal action for dissemination of fake news in a manner causing disruption to the reconciliation among communities and the national security. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the Minister of Public Administration & Disaster Management, in his capacity as the Acting Minister of Justice & Prison Reforms, to amend the Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure to make enable to impose on a person convicted of such offence a fine up to Rs.01 million or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 05 years or both, was approved by the Cabinet.