Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed Twitter’s plea challenging Central government orders to block tweets and accounts under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The court also imposed a cost of ₹50 lakh on Twitter for filing the “frivolous” plea.
The court’s order comes after a protracted legal battle between Twitter and the government over the blocking of tweets and accounts. In 2021, the government issued several orders to Twitter to block tweets and accounts that it claimed were “spreading misinformation” and “glorifying violence”. Twitter complied with some of the orders, but challenged others in court.
In its order, the Karnataka High Court said that Twitter had failed to show that the government’s orders were “arbitrary” or “unconstitutional”. The court also said that Twitter had not exhausted all other legal remedies before filing the plea.
The court’s order is a setback for Twitter, but it is not the end of the road. Twitter can still challenge the order in the Supreme Court.
The order has also raised concerns about the freedom of speech in India. Critics have argued that the government is using Section 69A to stifle dissent and silence critics.
It remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will rule on the matter. However, the Karnataka High Court’s order has sent a clear message to Twitter and other social media platforms: they must comply with the government’s orders to block tweets and accounts, or face the consequences.
The order has also raised concerns about the future of free speech in India. If the government is allowed to use Section 69A to block tweets and accounts at will, it could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression.
It is important to note that Section 69A of the Information Technology Act is a controversial law. The law gives the government broad powers to block content online, and it has been criticized by free speech advocates.
The Karnataka High Court’s order has only added to the controversy surrounding Section 69A. It remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will rule on the matter, but the order has sent a clear message to the government: it must be careful not to abuse its powers under Section 69A.