New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing of a petition demanding a ban on obscene content circulating on the internet and social media platforms. The petitioner argued that the spread of such material is increasing rapidly and is having a detrimental impact on children, leading them astray and causing serious social consequences.
A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai observed that the court could not take up the matter immediately. Referring to Nepal’s experience after banning several websites, the bench said, “You have seen what happened there after the ban. We are adjourning this matter for four weeks.”
The petitioner noted that internet usage has surged across all sections of society in the digital age, with no distinction between the educated and uneducated. It was also pointed out that under Article 69A of the IT Act, the government has the power to block websites hosting obscene content, but such measures have not been effectively implemented.
Chief Justice Gavai is set to retire on November 23, and reports suggest he may not hear the matter before his retirement. The case has drawn significant public attention as many await the Supreme Court’s future decision on curbing obscene online material.