X Corp Gets One Last Opportunity From Karnataka HC For Presenting Compliance Evidence

X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, has been recently granted a final opportunity by the Karnataka High Court to furnish evidence demonstrating compliance with the blocking directives issued by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeiTY).

The representative for X Corp apprised the bench comprising of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice MGS Kamal that instructions from the client were awaited, requesting additional time.

While adjourning the case to September 15, the high court made it clear that it was the last chance the company was being granted.

The HC recorded, “Today counsel for appellant prays for adjournment on the ground that he is awaiting instruction, accordingly one more and last opportunity is granted. The appeal is adjourned to September 15.”

Twitter, subsequently rebranded as X Corp, took recourse to the High Court against multiple blocking orders issued by MeiTY.

Previously, a single-judge bench dismissed the petition and imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh on the company for approaching the court without complying with the Ministry’s orders.

Subsequently, the company lodged an appeal before a division bench. In a preceding hearing, the division bench stipulated a deposit of Rs.25 lakh prior to the hearing. Furthermore, the division bench directed Twitter to furnish substantiating material indicating adherence to the blocking directives.

The High Court remarked that it is incumbent upon the company to satisfy the court; otherwise, an adverse inference could be drawn. The court underscored; the Ministry contended that the company’s compliance was lacking.

The Court observed orally, “So, if you are still not in a position to submit before the court, then why should the appeal be allowed.”

MeiTY invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to issue ten Government orders between February 2, 2021, & February 28, 2022, directing the blocking of 1,474 accounts, 175 Tweets, 256 URLs, and a single hashtag.

Twitter challenged the orders related to 39 of these URLs.