New Delhi: Twitter has to comply with the new Information Technology Rules if they have not been stayed, the Delhi high court said on Monday.
Justice Rekha Palli issued notice to the Centre and social media platform Twitter seeking their stand on a plea by a lawyer, Amit Acharya, claiming non-compliance of the rules by it.
While Twitter claimed before the court that it has complied with the rules and appointed a resident grievance officer, the Central government disputed the claim.
“They have to follow it (rules), if it has not been stayed,” the court said.
In his plea, filed through advocate Akash Vajpai and Manish Kumar, Acharya said that he came to know about the alleged non-compliance when he tried to lodge a complaint against a couple of tweets by Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra.
Twitter told the court that it is complying with the rules and has appointed a Grievance Redressal Officer (GRO). Senior advocate Sajjan Poovayya, appearing for Twitter, agreed with the judge that the rules have to be complied with as long as there is no stay on them. “Absolutely, there is no question. Without a stay, I have to comply. The Resident Grievance Officer has now been appointed and that appointment happened by a letter of 28th of May. I will place it on affidavit,” Poovayya said, according to Bar and Bench.
“As on the date of filing this petition, the rules were not complied. Subsequently, they have been. I will file it on affidavit,” he continued. The court has allowed Twitter’s counsel time to file an affidavit and the petitioner to file a rejoinder, and the matter will be heard next on July 6.
(With PTI inputs)