First application under Online Safety Act filed before Court

4 April 2024 03:15 pm Views - 3221

The first application under the newly enacted Online Safety Act was made to the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court and Court issued a conditional order preventing respondent parties from communicating alleged false information against former Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) Janaka Ratnayake.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Prasanna Alwis issued a conditional order in favour of the Petitioner Janaka Ratnayake in terms of Section 24 (1) and Section 24 (2) of the Online Safety Act No. 09 of 2024 and directed that the order be communicated to the Respondents Gayathri Bimba, Janaka Rajapaksha, Oshala Herath and several others by electronic means as provided for in Section 24 (4) of the Act. 

In his application Janaka Ratnayake, alleged that respondents had circulated or is attempting to circulate private information. The Petitioner further alleged that he was a “targeted individual” and that one or more of the several Respondents named in the Petition were intentionally harassing the Petitioner by communicating false statements. 

President’s Counsel Kalinga Indatissa with Counsel Vishwa de Livera Tennekoon, Lilani Ganegama Neranjan Iriyagolla, Rashmini Indatissa, Naveen Jayamanne and Nirod de Silva instructed by Mithun Diasz appeared for the petitioner.