Ministry of WCD proposes amendments in IRWA

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Based on the observations made by Parliamentary Standing Committee and recommendation made by the National Commission for Women on the basis of consultation with civil society groups and likeminded individuals, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has proposed amendments in Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (IRWA) keeping in mind the recent technological advancement in the field of communications such as social media platforms, over the top services (OTT) etc.

The reformulated Bill proposes following amendments in the parent Act:Amendment in definition of term advertisement to include digital form or electronic form or hoardings, or through SMS, MMS etc, Amendment in definition of distribution to include publication, license or uploading using computer resource, or communication device, Insertion of a new definition to define the term publish, Amendment in section 4 to include that no person shall publish or distribute or cause to be published or cause to be distributed by any means any material which contains indecent representation of women in any form.

The Bill also propses creation of a Centralised Authority under the aegis of National Commission of Women (NCW). This Authority will be headed by Member Secretary, NCW, having representatives from Advertising Standards Council of India, Press Council of India, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one member having experience of working on women issues, according to a PIB release.  

This Centralised Authority will be authorized to receive complaints or grievances regarding any programme or advertisement broadcasted or publication and investigate/ examine all matters relating to the indecent representation of women.

The Government of India had enacted the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (IRWA), 1986, to prohibit indecent representation of women through advertisements, publications, writings, paintings, figures or in any other manner. Since the enactment of the Act, technological revolution has resulted in the development of new forms of communication, such as internet, multi-media messaging, cable television, over-the-top (OTT) services and applications e.g. Skype, Viber, WhatsApp, Chat On, Snapchat, Instagram etc.

Keeping in mind these technological advancements, it has been decided to widen the scope of the law so as to cover such forms of media on one hand and to strengthen the existing safeguards to prevent indecent representation of women through any media form on the other.