While upholding the Central government's decision to block Telegram until NEET-UG re-examinations are over, Justice Karia also held that the government can block access to an entire application or a platform under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act).
The provision lays down the procedure for blocking public access to any "information" through any computer resource in the interests of national security, sovereignty, public order, or related concerns, following prescribed procedures and recorded reasons.
Intermediaries that fail to comply with such blocking orders can face up to 7 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
It was the government's stand that the definition of "information" includes the intermediaries/platforms.
Justice Karia said that there is no reason to exclude the application or a platform from the ambit of expression "information" contained in Section 2(1)(v) of the IT Act.
While upholding the Central government's decision to block Telegram until NEET-UG re-examinations are over, Justice Karia also held that the government can block access to an entire application or a platform under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act).
The provision lays down the procedure for blocking public access to any "information" through any computer resource in the interests of national security, sovereignty, public order, or related concerns, following prescribed procedures and recorded reasons. Intermediaries that fail to comply with such blocking orders can face up to 7 years’ imprisonment and a fine.
It was the government's stand that the definition of "information" includes the intermediaries/platforms. Justice Karia said that there is no reason to exclude the application or a platform from the ambit of expression "information" contained in Section 2(1)(v) of the IT Act.
