Government moves Supreme Court seeking transfer of pleas pending in high courts challenging new IT Rules’ validity

The government has moved the Supreme Court (SC) seeking transfer of pleas pending in different high courts across the country challenging the validity of new IT Rules to SC for an authoritative pronouncement on the issue.

According to industry sources, several petitions challenging the new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, are pending adjudication in different high courts, including the Delhi High Court.

The petitions pending in the High Court have challenged the new IT Rules intended to regulate social media firms as well as OTT players.