"You'll Have To Comply": Delhi High Court Tells X Corp To Remove Congress Tweets Against Rajat Sharma
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court pulled up social media platform X Corp for challenging a court order directing it to remove tweets made by Congress leaders alleging journalist Rajat Sharma used abusive language against party leader Ragini Nayak on live television on election result day.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela stated that X Corp. was not behaving like an intermediary or a neutral platform. The court also observed that the social media platform was refusing to comply with court orders, which is “not only a national trend but international,” and cited examples of the corporation not complying with the Canadian court’s order as well.
Read Also: Delhi HC Orders Congress Leaders To Remove Tweets Against Journalist Rajat Sharma
Representing X, senior advocate Rajshekhar Rao argued that the X Corp had no “skin in the game” but was concerned with the way the single judge had passed the impugned order.
“Please see, there is a judgement of the Supreme Court that the court will direct the intermediary to take it down. It doesn’t lie in your mouth to say that you won’t take it down. You’ll have to comply,” remarked Justice Gedela, as quoted by Live Law.
The senior counsel argued that Sharma’s suit was not served to any of the defendants, with the plaintiff arguing that if it’s served, the issue will become unnecessary. He also argued that the single judge’s order must be considered an interim order. Rao added that he may be allowed to make submissions on the next date of the hearing when the high court considers the interim relief plea again. The court has allowed the request.
On June 14, the High Court passed an ex parte order directing X Corp. to take the social media posts and videos by Congress and its leaders, including Ragini Nayak, Jairam Ramesh, and Pawan Khera.
