The Delhi High Court order to restore X accounts such as ‘Dr Nimo Yadav’ and ‘Nehr Who’, which had been blocked over allegedly defamatory posts targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was seen by sources in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as reinforcing the government’s legal powers to act against unlawful online content.
According to sources cited by NDTV, the court was understood to have upheld the statutory framework under the IT Act and related rules that allow the government to restrict access to objectionable digital material.
At the same time, the court indicated that the specific posts flagged as problematic would remain blocked or suspended until they are reviewed by an Inter-Ministerial Committee, NDTV reported.
Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, while granting partial relief, clarified that the content in question could not be reinstated for now and should continue under temporary blocking. However, the petitioner’s account itself was allowed to be restored.
The court further stated that authorities would retain the right to monitor future activity and could take action if additional objectionable content is posted, in accordance with the law.
It also directed the petitioner to take part in the statutory review process by appearing before the designated committee, which will assess whether the disputed posts comply with legal provisions.
Sources said the relief provided was limited, noting that while the account was restored after the petitioner indicated a willingness to remove the flagged posts, the court did not endorse the content itself.
The matter has effectively been left to the Inter-Ministerial Committee, which will examine the legality of the posts under the IT Act and relevant rules. Government sources suggested that the order underscored the principle that unlawful or objectionable content cannot be defended as free speech, interpreting it as judicial support for regulatory action on social media.
The committee is now expected to decide the next course of action after hearing the petitioner.