Lok Sabha discusses fake news, data protection and Doklam

Lok Sabha pased the Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Bill by voice vote on Wednesday.

The bill seeks to amend the law for speedy disposal of commercial disputes and for reducing the pecuniary jurisdiction of commercial courts from Rs 1 crore to Rs 3 lakh.

The bill also allows state governments to establish commercial courts at the district level, even in territories where high courts have ordinary original civil jurisdiction.

Replying to the discussion on the bill, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the move would help in enhancing the ease of doing business.

The House also discussed the bill that seeks to establish a National Sports University in Manipur.

Moving the National Sports University Bill for consideration and passage, Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said it seeks to establish the university in Manipur at a cost of Rs 524 crore to
promote sports coaching and research.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj assured the House during the Question Hour that status quo has been maintained in Doklam since the resolution of the standoff.

The Question Hour in Lok Sabha also saw the minister asserting that the government will not tolerate abuse of data by companies for influencing elections in India.

He informed the House that the government has ordered a CBI investigation into alleged misuse of data of Indian Facebook users by British political consultancy firm Cambridge Analytica.

On circulation of fake news, the minister informed that the government has told social media platforms that it won’t accept circulation and re-circulation of fake news that lead to crimes in India.