Avinash Azad
In a decisive bid to maintain public order and safeguard communal harmony, District Magistrate (DM) Jammu Dr. Rakesh Minhas has issued a stringent prohibitory order under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, imposing wide-ranging restrictions on the misuse of social media platforms.
The order, which has come into immediate effect, bars the circulation of provocative, false, and misleading content across digital platforms amid growing concerns over attempts to disturb peace through online activity. The district administration has flagged the increasing misuse of platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and Telegram for spreading communally sensitive and inflammatory material.
The prohibitory order explicitly bars the circulation of hate speech in any form—including posts, memes, videos, or audio—that promotes enmity on religious, caste, racial, or regional lines. It also prohibits the sharing of doctored or morphed images, misleading videos, and out-of-context visuals aimed at provoking unrest. The use of social media to incite violence, issue threats, call for boycotts, or mobilize unlawful gatherings has been banned. Additionally, dissemination of unverified rumours, particularly those related to law and order or security matters, has been strictly prohibited.
“Any violation will attract stringent legal action under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000. Offenders may face up to three years’ imprisonment for promoting enmity, up to five years for hate speech at religious places, and up to seven years or even life imprisonment for acts endangering national sovereignty. Non-compliance with lawful digital content restrictions could also lead to imprisonment of up to seven years,” the prohibitory order issued by the DM states.
The order places direct responsibility on social media group administrators and moderators, holding them jointly accountable for any prohibited content shared within their groups. It states that failure to prevent or report such violations could result in legal proceedings against the admins as well.
Citizens have been urged to exercise caution by avoiding the forwarding of inflammatory or unverified content, reporting objectionable posts to the nearest police station or cyber crime unit, and verifying information through official government sources before sharing. The Cyber Crime Unit Jammu has been tasked with 24/7 monitoring of social media platforms, while dedicated Social Media Monitoring Cells have been established at the sub-divisional level under the supervision of the concerned authorities.
The order applies to all individuals within the territorial jurisdiction of Jammu district, irrespective of where the content is posted from. The directive will remain in force for 60 days, unless modified or revoked earlier. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, has been directed to ensure immediate registration of FIRs against violators to enforce compliance. Reiterating its zero-tolerance stance against any attempt to disturb peace, the administration has warned that strict action will be taken against those misusing digital platforms to incite unrest.
