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18. At this juncture, it is relevant to state that the Court on 16.02.2017,   after   reflecting   on   the   anguish   expressed   in Voluntary Health Association of Punjab  (the 2nd), adverted to various aspects and observed thus:­ “The present writ petition was filed in 2008 by the petitioner, a doctor in the field of Public Health and Nutrition, expressing his concern about the  modus operandi  adopted  by   the  respondent  Nos.3 to   5 to act   in   detriment   to   the   fundamental   conception  of balancing   of   sex   ratio   by   entertaining advertisements,   either   directly   or   indirectly   or   as alleged,   in   engaging   themselves   in   violation   of Section   22   of   the   Pre­conception   and   Pre­natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act, 1994 (for brevity, 'the 1994 Act').  Times without number, this Court has dwelt upon how to curb the said malady.   In pursuance of our orders dated 5 th July, 2016 and 25th July, 2016, an affidavit was filed by   the   competent   authority   of   the   Ministry   of Electronics   and   Information   Technology   (MeitY), Government of India.

19. On the basis of the order passed, an affidavit was filed by the Union of India which reflected its understanding of Section 22 of the 1994 Act. Considering the same, on 16.11.2016, the following order was passed:­ “The section 22 and the explanation appended to it is   very   wide   and   does   not   confine   only   to commercial advertisements.  The intention of law is to   prevent   any   message/communication   which results   in   determination/selection   of   sex   by   any means   what   so   ever   scientific   or   otherwise.     The different   ways   in   which   the   communication /messages are given by the internet/search engine which promote or tend to promote sex selection are prohibited   under   Section   22.     The   search   engines should   devise   their   own   methods   to   stop   the offending   messages/   advertisements/ communication and if the compliance in accordance with   law   is   not   done   Ministry   of   Electronics   and Information Technology (MeitY), shall take action as they   have   already   said   in   their   affidavits   dated 15.10.2015 & 08.08.2016.   The Ministry of Health and   Family   Welfare  is concerned  about  the  falling Child Sex Ratio and is taking all possible actions to ensure   that   the   provisions   of   PC   &   PNDT   Act   are strictly implemented.”