New Delhi: Twitter has approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the Centre’s orders to remove the content under the new IT rules, saying it is an “abuse of power by the authorities”. The microblogging site has challenged a government order issued in June 2022, saying the blocking order was “overbroad and arbitrary”, failed to give notice to the originators of the content and was disproportionate in many cases.
Sources aware of the Twitter writ petition told PTI that several requests made by the government are allegedly for action against political content that is posted by official handles of political parties and a firm view of blocking such information. It violates the guarantee of freedom of expression. For civilian users of the platform.
“The material requested to be blocked has no apparent connection with the land under section 69A,” the source said. There has been no reaction from the Electronics Ministry on this development so far.
Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajiv Chandrashekhar said in a tweet that all platforms have the right to move the court, but they have a clear obligation to comply with the laws.
Chandrashekhar tweeted, “In India, everyone including foreign internet intermediaries/platforms have the right to court and judicial review.
In India, all foreign internet intermediaries/platforms have the right of court and judicial review.
But equally all intermediaries/platforms operating here have a clear obligation to comply with our laws and regulations. #Open #safetrusted # accountable #Internet
– Rajeev Chandrasekhar (Rajiv_Govt of India) 5 July 2022
The source said that as per the Twitter petition, several blocking orders were issued under Section 69A, but failed to demonstrate how the material falls within those grounds or how the said material violates Section 69A. “Twitter has sought a judicial review of the blocked orders from the court,” the source said.
In May, the government had asked Twitter to take action against Khalistan-related content and accounts praising terrorists in Kashmir. Later in June, the government asked Twitter to take action on about 60 accounts.
According to sources, Twitter has acted on the request and notified compliance. On June 26, the microblogging site submitted a separate list of over 80 Twitter accounts and tweets that were blocked in 2021 based on a request from the government.
The request was made by the government to block multiple accounts and some tweets by international advocacy group Freedom House, journalists, politicians and supporters of farmers’ protests.