High Court refuses to stay new IT rules regulating digital news media

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The Delhi High Court Monday refused to stay the new Information Technology rules which seek to regulate digital news media, saying it was not in agreement with the petitioners on passing such an order at this stage.

Foundation for Independent Journalism, The Wire, Quint Digital Media Ltd and Pravda Media Foundation, parent company of Alt News, sought a stay on the Information technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, on the ground that a fresh notice has been issued to them to comply with the rules or else coercive action will be taken.

A vacation bench of Justices C Hari Shankar and Subramonium Prasad said the notice has been issued to them only for implementation of notification on which there was no stay.

“We are not in agreement with you. If you want we will pass a reasoned detailed order or if you want we can renotify it before the roster bench. You take instructions and let us know,” the bench said.

After taking instructions, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, representing the news portals, urged the court to list the matter on reopening of courts after vacations.

The court listed the applications for stay before the roster bench on July 7.

According to amended IT rules, social media and streaming companies will be required to take down contentious content quicker, appoint grievance redressal officers and assist in investigations.

Meanwhile, the court issued notice to the Centre and sought its response on a fresh petition by Pravda Media Foundation challenging the vires or legality of IT Rules.

The court asked the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to file a reply within four weeks and listed it for hearing on August 4, the date already fixed for hearing similar pleas by Foundation for Independent Journalism, The Wire and Quint Digital Media Ltd.

The stay applications were filed in the pending main petitions challenging the vires of the IT Rules.

During the hearing on the stay applications, the bench said the matter came up for hearing three times before the roster bench and the petitioners could have moved the pleas for stay on the notification then.