Delhi HC to Hear Pleas Challenging IT Rules, 2021

The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, on August 14.

These rules govern the operations of online media portals and publishers, over-the-top (OTT) platforms, and social media intermediaries.

They mandate social media and streaming companies to promptly remove contentious content, appoint grievance redressal officers, and cooperate in investigations.

Transfer

These petitions, initially before various high courts nationwide, were transferred to the Delhi High Court by the Supreme Court.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora directed, ”Since similar petitions are listed on August 14, list on the same date.”

On March 22, the Apex Court consolidated all petitions challenging the IT rules in different high courts, including Karnataka, Madras, Calcutta, Kerala, and Bombay, following a transfer petition filed by the Central government to prevent divergent opinions.

Central Govt

Advocate Rajat Nair, representing the Centre, informed that the Delhi High Court was handling five matters related to the challenge against the 2021 Rules, making it convenient for lawyers to appear. Earlier, the apex court highlighted, ”to avoid contradictory judgments, the Union of India would wish to have all matters consolidated for analogous hearing. Since a large number of these cases are pending consideration before the Delhi High Court, we deem it appropriate to transfer the matters in various HCs to the Delhi HC”.

In May 2022, the Supreme Court suspended further proceedings before the high courts in cases involving challenges to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 or the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules 2021.

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