Anshika Tiwari –
Press Trust of India challenged Centre’s Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.
A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice J R Midha issued notices to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting on the petition.
The rules “Usher in an era of surveillance and fear, thereby resulting in self-censorship”, PTI argued.
In addition, it said that this self -censorship is an abridgment of rights guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution.
The said rules which were introduced in February this year and took effect in May, are a set of regulations framed for social media companies streaming digital news content.
The rules have, for the first time, virtually brought these companies under the ambit of government supervision.
PTI has sought from the court a stay on the execution of these rules.
It has argued that these rules are an instrument in the hands of the state to enter as well as directly control the content of online digital news portals.
In addition, it has argued that the Centre’s distinction between print media and digital media is inherently violative of the Right to Equality.
Another argument by the news agency is that Code regulation gives oversight to the executive to impose draconian measures including blocking, deletion of content and compulsory publication of apology for perceived non-compliance of vague conditions such as ‘good taste’, ‘decency’, ‘prohibition of half -truths’.
The present suit is the ninth lawsuit in the series of suits by news agencies challenging the Digital Media ethics Code.
The Digital News Publishers’ Association, comprising 13 media outlets including the ABP Network, Express Network, NDTV Convergence, TV Today Network Malayala Manorama and Times Internet, had come up with similar suits in the High Courts of Bombay, Madras and Kerala.
On Tuesday, the Centre urged the apex court to transfer those petitions to itself.
Also read: Delhi HC Refuses to Stay New IT Rules regulating Digital News Media
