Centre’s reply sought on plea opposing IT rules

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stressed that it would hear petitions challenging the validity of Information Technology Rules, 2021, in the absence of any stay on High Court proceedings in the matter by the Supreme Court.

The issue pertains to the Digital News Publishers Association comprising thirteen media outlets moving the court challenging the constitutional validity of the IT rules. On Wednesday, the counsel for the Union Government said petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court to transfer similar petitions pending before various HCs to the apex court.

Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy orally observed, “There is no stay on the proceedings. We can go ahead with the matter. The SC will then have the benefit of the opinion of the HC.” The court adjourned the plea to two weeks for the counsel to file its counter affidavit.