NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed social media companies, search engines, web hosting platforms, and online service providers to take down “false” information being spread online that several Indian judges and Union ministers participated in a badminton tournament in London earlier this month at taxpayers’ expense.
n Friday, the matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a vacation bench of Justice Tejas Karia.
The bench said, “The impugned content is ex facie false, malicious and derogatory to the judiciary, the executive and the sport of badminton. The continued circulation and dissemination of such content has a direct bearing on the reputation of these institutions and, if not restrained forthwith, is likely to erode public confidence in the justice delivery system.” Directing a status report from the authorities concerned, the court has posted the matter on July 17 for further proceedings.
‘False post may harm confidence’
“Dissemination of such false and misleading information, has the potential to cause serious injury to public confidence in the justice delivery system,” the bench said.