No action against Facebook India VP till October 15 for posting hate speech: Supreme Court

New delhi date. Thursday 24 September 2020

Ajit Mohan, a Delhi Facebook India official, was summoned to appear before the assembly committee in connection with the riots in North Delhi, but the apex court today directed the Delhi assembly not to take any strict action till October 15.

The notice was sent to the vice-president of Facebook India by the Delhi Legislative Assembly's Peace and Harmony Committee in response to a complaint alleging that Facebook India had deliberately made no attempt to stop the hate speech and speeches posted on its platform.

It was submitted in court by Ajit Mohan of Facebook India that the Legislative Committee had no authority to send summons to the petitioner or to take action against the petitioner for breach of privilege and they were exceeding the constitutional limits. A committee investigating Facebook's role in spreading riotous and hateful speeches in north-east Delhi in February sent notices to Mohan to appear before the committee on September 10 and 18, which Mohan challenged.

Senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing on behalf of Ajit Mohan, argued that the Legislative Committee could not decide on the privileges of the House and the control of social media was vested in the Central Government. Can't, said Salve.