The High Court on Monday issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why sections 25 and 31 of the Digital Security Act, 2018 would not be declared illegal and unconstitutional.

The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Mahmud Hasan Talukder came up with the rule after hearing on a writ petition.

Secretaries to Ministry of Law and Information and other concerned have been asked to respond to the rule within four weeks, said petitioner’s lawyer Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir.

On January 19, Mohammad Abdullah, secretary general of Bangladesh Federal Journalist Union (BFUJ), Supreme Court lawyers Md Asad uddin, Md Asaduzzaman , Md Zubaidur Rahman, Md Mohiuddin Molla, Md Muzahidul Islam and associates professors of Dhaka University Dr. Mohammad Ismail, Dr. Md Kamruzzaman and Dr. Md Rafiqul Islam filed the writ seeking an order for declaring four sections – 25, 28, 29 and 31 – of the Digital Security Act 2018 illegal.