The Delhi high court on Friday observed that the Union government can issue appropriate directions to social media intermediaries under the Information Technology Act to address the circulation of false and misleading posts claiming that the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, several Supreme Court judges and Union Ministers had travelled to London earlier this month to participate in a badminton tournament at public expense, multiple reports said.
Vacation judge Justice Tejas Karia made the observation orally while hearing a petition filed by the Badminton Association of India (BAI).
The BAI had approached the Delhi HC against social media posts and online publications allegedly spreading false claims that over 75 judges and ministers participated in a government-sponsored badminton tournament in London earlier this month.
The High Court asked the ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) to examine the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with law.
The plea, according to a report, said photographs from the All India Judges' Badminton Championship held at Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi on Nov 29, 2025, were wrongly circulated online and falsely projected as photographs from the London event.
The BAI's petition sought the immediate removal of the “malicious posts” from all social media and news platforms to prevent further damage to the reputation of the judiciary and the sporting body.
