NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the takedown of AI videos depicting Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as a liquor vendor, holding the content defamatory and offensive and an attack on the dignity of a woman with constitutional authority.
The court’s order came on a suit filed by Gupta seeking permanent injunction and a direction for the removal of a series of AI-generated images, videos and posters published from the official and verified AAP accounts.
Justice Manoj Jain on Friday said any political party is entitled to criticise any governmental policy or decision or administrative action of the government but in the garb of expression of disapproval of any such policy, the offensive portrayal of the chief minister, with the assistance of AI-generated videos, hurting her very dignity can be, by no stretch of imagination, said to be in the realm of permissible political satire.
The HC said there is a thin line between a political satire and an offensive depiction. “When it comes to mere humour or satire, the court may not interfere, but when a person’s dignity is attacked, tarnished and ridiculed, it becomes the duty of the court to adopt appropriate responsive measures,” it said. The HC said holding public office automatically invites greater scrutiny, but dignity of an individual cannot be compromised.