The Delhi High Court refused to immediately restore the X account of the Cockroach Janta Party, saying some posts appeared “slightly offensive”.
The court said it would hear the Centre and X before passing any order and allowed founder Abhijeet Dipke to approach the government review committee.
The satirical outfit gained popularity after controversy over remarks attributed to Chief Justice Surya Kant referring to some youth as “cockroaches”.
The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to immediately direct restoration of the X account of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), dealing a setback to party founder Abhijeet Dipke.
The court observed that some of the content posted on the social media account appeared “slightly offensive” and said the matter required “holistic consideration” before any interim relief could be granted.
The Court orally remarked that the case had "far reaching, wider issues".
Court Seeks Govt, X Responses Before Passing Order
The bench led by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said it would hear submissions from both the Centre and the X platform before passing any order in the case.
According to a report by Bar and Bench, the court assured the Centre’s counsel that no direction would be issued without hearing the government’s position.
Senior advocate Akhil Sibal, appearing for Dipke, argued for restoration of the account and said the petitioner would not object if certain allegedly offensive posts continued to remain blocked.
Responding to the submissions, the court reportedly observed that the present case differed from earlier matters where interim relief had been granted because “the entire activity is per se slightly offending”.
While declining immediate relief, the High Court allowed Dipke to present his case before the government’s review committee responsible for examining blocking orders related to social media platforms.
The matter is expected to be heard further after responses from the Centre and X are placed before the court.
What Is The Cockroach Janta Party Controversy?
The Cockroach Janta Party began as a satirical political movement after remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant referring to some young people as “cockroaches” triggered widespread controversy online.
Although the Chief Justice later clarified that his remarks were aimed at individuals entering the legal profession with fake degrees, the term quickly gained traction on social media, particularly among young users.
The CJP rapidly emerged as a viral online movement, with several opposition leaders and political commentators amplifying its content.
Days after its rise on social media, the party alleged that its X account had been withheld in India following a legal demand. Dipke later also claimed that the outfit’s Instagram account and website faced similar restrictions.
