The Centre on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that it will introduce a system to regulate social media platforms “at some point in time”, which could include guidelines on permanent suspension of user accounts, Bar and Bench reported.
The Centre made the statement in an affidavit filed after Justice Yashwant Varma asked the government about its plans to regulate social media, saying that the policies would have impact on the petitions before the court.
Varma was hearing a batch of pleas filed against the suspension of user accounts by social media platforms, PTI reported.
In August, the court had asked the Centre whether it was contemplating regulatory measures to govern the matter of social media platforms banning Indian citizens, Bar and Bench reported. Varma had said that if the government issues the guidelines while the petitions are still sub-judice, then the whole exercise will have to be redone.
On Wednesday, Advocate Kirtiman Singh, representing the Centre, said that the rules to regulate social media, whenever they are introduced will be prospective in nature and will not have an impact on the existing cases, PTI reported.
To this, Varma asked why the existing complaints of accounts being deleted will not be dealt with under the proposed mechanism. He said that if the Centre does not make its stand clear on the matter by the next date of hearing, the court will pass its verdict.
The case will next be heard on December 19.
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