Disaster management act has been implemented, no citizen is allowed to post any update on coronavirus.
Speak Now, A message along with a video of a police officer is going viral on social media. The message states that from midnight onwards (no date mentioned), the Disaster Management Act has been implemented across the country, as per which apart from government departments, no other citizen is allowed to post any update or share any forward related to the novel coronavirus., It is a punishable offence so admins are requested to inform their group members, the message reads., With the message, a video of a police officer is attached who can be heard saying that if a person posts anything offensive, then the group admin will be responsible and will also face legal action., "India Todays Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found that the viral message is misleading.", The central government on March 24, the day when the 21-day lockdown was announced, had stated that the Disaster Management Act, 2005 was being invoked to deal with Covid-19. See the copy of order here., As per the act, there is no such provision which says that apart from government departments, no other citizen is allowed to update or share news related to a disaster., The viral message also contains a video of a police officer who can be heard saying that if anyone posts any offensive message, then the group admin will be held responsible., This video is available on the internet since July 13, 2018. Also, nowhere in the video, the police officer talks about coronavirus. Hence, this is an unrelated video., The Supreme Court also passed an order on March 31, that Section 54 of the Disaster Management Act can be used to punish those who spread false information. Section 54 says that sharing any update or forward whether on WhatsApp or any other social media platform, which is "false", is a criminal offence., It is clear that there is no such restriction on citizens to share any news or updates about the coronavirus situation, as long as it is not false information., India Today Fact Check is part of IFCN Alliance on Covid-19, Read | Business in times of corona: How some firms are battling odds amid Covid-19 pandemicAlso Read | Coronavirus in India: How corporate India is helping tackle virus outbreakWatch | India battles coronavirus as Covid-19 tally crosses 2,000, , , The number of crows determines the intensity of the lie., , Violent India-China clash at LAC: What really happened that night, Exclusive: Images from Galwan show Chinese build-up intact after carnage, India holds fort, India-China border dispute: Importance of Pangong Tso and why its fingers are much sought after, Covid-19 Tracker: State-wise data, daily trends, patients cured, deaths and more, In Depth: Can India do business without China?, Strict action must be taken against China: Arvind Kejriwal, "Did PM come clear on Ladakh? Its Rahul Kanwal vs Rajdeep Sardesai", In Depth: The history of Ladakh and India-China dispute, India to buy 12 Sukhois and 21 MiG-29 figter jets, Ladakh face-off: Top 5 developments, Ladakh face-off explained, Rahul Gandhi targets Gujarat govt over coronavirus mortality rate, , Copyright © 2020 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today, Copyright © 2020 Living Media India Limited. For reprint rights: Syndications Today
Fact Check: No, Disaster Management Act does not restrict citizens to post updates on Covid-19 - Fact Check News