The central government announced that people or institutions falsely depicting parts of India as territories of China or Pakistan on any digital platform could land in prison for a maximum of seven years with a fine of up to Rs 100 crores.
The central government had recently drafted ‘The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill 2016′ after people/organizations on certain social media platforms shown Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh as a part of Pakistan and China respectively.
Additionally, internet search engine giants such as Google will have to apply for a licence to run Google Maps and Google Earth in India.
The proposed law, following implementation, will make it mandatory for a person/organization to seek permission from the competent government authority before acquiring, disseminating, publishing or distributing any geospatial information pertaining the country.
According to the draft bill: No person shall depict, disseminate, publish or distribute any wrong or false topographic information of India including international boundaries through internet platforms or online services or in any electronic or physical form. Whoever, if any geospatial information of India in contravention of the law is acquired, it shall be punished with a fine ranging from Rs 1 crore to Rs 100 crore and/or imprisonment for a period up to seven years.
