Set up nodal agency on public information on sex determition ads'

New Delhi, Nov 16: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to set up a nodal agency to act on public information on advertisements promoting sex determition techniques/kits on the Internet. The apex court said its direction on the nodal agency was in addition to the order passed on September 19 to direct the Internet search engines that they were under obligation to see that the “doctrine of auto block” is applied within a reasoble period of time.

These advertisements on sex determition techniques/kits could be reached through Internet search engines of Google India, Yahoo India and Microsoft Corporation (India) Ltd.

Anything that offends the Pre-conception and Pre-tal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994, or the sex ratio would be taken away/deleted from the three search engines, the court said.

The Supreme Court observed that India did not need ‘knowledge’ on sex determition techniques/kits as the country was already faced with decreasing sex ratio.

“Human race is facing a problem. In some places, boys are not getting married as there are no girls,” a bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Amitava Roy remarked. “Whether you can have a boy or a girl — that kind of knowledge is not needed in India,” Justice Misra said.

The court’s observations came as it brushed aside submissions by senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, K.V. Vishwathan and Anupam Lal Das, appearing for Google India, Yahoo India and Microsoft Corporation (India) respectively.  (IANS)