There has been widespread negative propaganda about the newly introduced GO No 938, which sought to take legal action against false, baseless and defamatory news. With this G.O., legal action could be initiated against defamatory news spread with a malafide interest in print, electronic, and social media.
The GO was in no way curbing press freedom and the intention of the GO was only to prohibit false news against the government and its policies. The government has every right to disallow any form of false and baseless information against it. The government is vexed with some media houses carrying fake news and later the rejoinders were not being published.
Interestingly, the Chandrababu government had issued five such GOs in the past and had also named Sakshi media house in particular, but this GO was only trying to curb false and baseless news. On october 16, the state cabinet had given its nod to revive the G.O. (No.938) issued on february 20, 2007. Instances were brought to the notice of the government that certain print, electronic and social media were deliberately trying to tarnish the image of government and government officials by spreading false, baseless and defamatory news with a malafide interest.
The government as per the new GO accorded permission to delegate powers to the Secretaries of respective departments to issue rejoinders, file complaints and lodge appropriate cases, if need be, through public prosecutor against defamatory news items published/telecast/posted in print/electronic/social media pertaining to their respective departments after following due process of law.
