- Monday, February 24, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
SOCIAL media giant Twitter found itself in a spot on Thursday (8) when the Delhi High Court said the Narendra Modi government was free to take action against it as per the information technology rules in case it had flouted them.
The court also questioned the American company for referring to interim officers required to be appointed in compliance with the rules.
Justice Rekha Palli gave two weeks to Twitter to file hard copies of the notarised affidavit of a competent officer, while hearing a petition alleging non-compliance of the rules. The court said that a scanned copy of the affidavit will only be filed by July 13. It also said the affidavit should be accompanied by the affidavit of the officer already state to have been appointed and those who are being appointed.
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“It is made clear that since this court has only granted time to Twitter to file its affidavits to show compliance of the rules and there is no interim protection granted, it will be open for the Union of India to take action against Twitter in accordance with rules in case of any breach of the rules,” the court said. It has adjourned the matter until the next hearing on July 28.
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Twitter said while it is trying to comply with the 2021 rules, it reserves its right to challenge the legality, validity and vires of the rules. “Twitter’s submissions regarding compliance are filed without prejudice to its right to challenge the Rules,” it said in the reply.
The social media platform also told the court that it has appointed a resident of India as its interim chief compliance officer effective July 6. Twitter said it will endeavour in good faith to make an offer to fill the position of the nodal contact officer with a qualified candidate who is an Indian resident, on an interim basis, within two weeks’ time.
Twitter also told the court that its first compliance report covering the period of May 26 to June 25 will be filed no later than July 11 in accordance with the 2021 rules.
It told the high court that it has frequently engaged with the Indian government over requirements under the rules.
