NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to grant any interim relief to a senior army officer, who has challenged the Indian Army's recent policy banning armed forces personnel from using social networking platforms like Facebook and Instagram, saying he has to either abide by the mandate of the organisation or put in his papers.
The high court said he has a choice to make and asked him to delete his FB account as the policy to ban the use of social networking platforms for army personnel was taken keeping in view the security of the nation. It said he can create a new social media account later.
A bench of Justices Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Asha Menon said that when it has not even found a reason yet to entertain the plea, “the question of granting any interim relief does not arise. “Especially when the matter has the potential of concerning the safety and security of the country,”the bench said.
Lieutenant Colonel P K Choudhary contended that once deleted all the data, contacts and friends in his FB account would be “irretrievably lost” and the loss would be “irreversible”. “No. No. Sorry. You please delete it. You can always create a new one. It cannot work like this. You are part of an organisation. You have to abide by its mandate,” the bench said.
It further said, “If you are so dear to FB, then put in your papers. See you have to make a choice, what do you want to do. You have other choices which are also irreversible.” The army officer had sought an interim relief that he be allowed to retain his Facebook (FB) account in deactivated’form till the next date of hearing when the court will decide whether to entertain his petition after going through the Army’’s policy under challenge.