Supreme Court stays proceedings before High Courts on pleas challenging Information Technology rules

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the further proceedings pending before the High Courts across the country on petitions challenging the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021) and the Cable TV Networks (Amendment) Rules 2021.

A bench also issued a notice in the transfer petitions filed by the Central government seeking the transfer of the petitions from various High Courts to the apex court.

The bench however said that it is not interfering with the interim orders passed by the High Courts at this juncture and that it is issuing notice on the stay applications.

The bench now posted the matters for hearing on May 19. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appearing for the Centre told the bench that the government has already filed a petition to transfer all such matters to the top court and sought a stay on High Courts proceedings.

“Issue notice in all cases where notice is pending. Returnable on May 19. We direct stay of proceedings pending before the High Courts in the respective cases or to be filed hereafter until the next date of hearing involving a challenge to IT rules or cable TV amendment rules which are subject matter of proceedings in this set of cases,” the bench stated in its order.
-ANI