Centre Moves SC Seeking Transfer Of Pleas Challenging IT Rules Pending In HCs

Numerous petitions challenging the Centre’s IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, are currently pending in various high courts across the country.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 6 July 2021 4:45 pm

The Union government on Tuesday approached Supreme Court seeking transfer of all pending pleas challenging its new IT rules to the apex court. Numerous petitions challenging the Centre’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, are currently pending in various high courts across the country.

While announcing the new IT rules on February 25, the Centre had said that if “significant social media intermediaries” failed to comply with the new requirements by May 25, they will lose their intermediary status. “Significant social media intermediaries” refers to those digital platforms which have more than 50 lakh registered users.

While the Centre has said that the new rules were introduced to make social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram more accountable and responsible for the content hosted on their platform, many have challenged the new rules over issues of privacy.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court directed Twitter to inform it by July 8 as to when it will appoint a resident grievance officer in compliance with the new IT Rules after the microblogging platform submitted that it was in the process of doing so.

(With PTI inputs)