The need for judicial review of laws passed View(s):Does the country’s Online Safety Bill that was passed this week amidst opposition legislators alleging that amendments directed by the Supreme Court had not been reflected in the Bill and new clauses had been slipped into the bill, meet standards of best practices and good governance? In fact, conferring Sri Lankan courts the power to review enacted laws will prevent ugly allegations such as those raised in the House this week over the Online Safety Bill. The independence of the proposed Online Safety Commission must be further tightened and loosely worded terms that run through the bill must be fittingly revised. A bad Online Safety law for Sri Lanka would be worse than no law at all. Uganda’s UN ambassador was quick to disown his compatriot on the World Court pointing to Uganda’s voting pattern in support of Palestine at the UN.

Source: Sunday Times January 28, 2024 05:12 UTC