Seventeen petitions have been filed against the Online Safety Bill

Seventeen (17) Special Determination petitions have been filed so far before the Supreme Court, challenging the constitutionality of the Online Safety Bill. These petitions are to be taken up for hearing on October 18.

The petitioners are:

The President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Kaushalya Nawaratne, journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedera, Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, National People's Power Parliamentarian Harini Amarasuriya, National Organiser of the Socialist Youth Union Eranga Gunasekara, the Media Law Forum, Front Line Socialist Party activist Duminda Nagamuwa, former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Ambika Satkunanathan, Chaminda Dias, M.K. de Silva, W.C.J. Peiris, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne, Ranga Kalansuriya, Vidyananda Jayaweera, B.J.S. Fernando, and M.R.M. Najah

The petitioners are seeking a declaration that the bill requires approval by the people at a referendum in addition to the 2/3 approval of the Parliament.

The Online Safety Bill was published in the Gazette on September 15, 2023, and placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on October 3, 2023.