New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has declined to grant any immediate interim relief to Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Raghav Chadha regarding a petition filed to protect his personality rights. The high court explicitly clarified that personality rights are not involved in this specific matter. However, the court noted that it has already issued necessary directives for the removal of online posts and documents that were found to be prima facie defamatory.
During the court proceedings, Justice Subramonium Prasad stated that the court had previously ordered the deletion of five specific social media posts and documents that appeared defamatory on first impression. Taking a definitive stance, the court emphasized that the remaining online material under review does not fall within the category of offensive content. Consequently, the bench ruled that no ad-interim orders would be passed concerning the rest of the disputed posts at this stage of the litigation.
The legal dispute arose after the member of parliament moved the court seeking the removal of objectionable social media posts and an injunction to prevent the unauthorized use of his name and photographs. In a significant observation on the matter, the high court previously highlighted the vital necessity of maintaining a proper balance between the public criticism faced by politicians in society and the fundamental right to freedom of expression enjoyed by citizens. It is due to this constitutional balancing act that the court refrained from imposing a sweeping interim ban on the remaining digital content.
