Delhi HC refuses immediate relief to Cockroach Janta Party in X account blocking case
Delhi High Court says the Cockroach Janta Party case raises wider concerns and seeks the Centre’s response on the blocking of its X account
The Delhi High Court on Friday (May 29) refused to grant immediate relief to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical online outfit seeking restoration of its blocked X account, observing that it was different from other cases as the entire activity seems to be “slightly offending.”
It further stated that the case raised broader concerns that required closer examination before any interim order could be passed. While issuing notice to the Union government and X, the Court indicated that the nature of the allegations against the account appeared distinct from other blocking cases and warranted a more detailed hearing.
Court flags wider concerns
"There seems to be a slight difference between other cases and in this case.. In this case, what seems to be the reason is that the entire activity is per se slightly offending,” stated the bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav as it declined to immediately restore the account, making it clear that any decision on reinstatement would be considered only after hearing all parties.
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The Court acknowledged that some of the petitioner’s submissions deserved consideration but emphasised that the dispute involved issues with potentially wider consequences. “There are far-reaching issues. There are wider ramifications,” the judge remarked, indicating that the matter required a fuller examination before interim relief could be granted, reported the Bar and Bench.
Challenge to blocking order
The petition, filed by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke through Advocate Nakul Gandhi, challenges the blocking order reportedly issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. According to media reports, the action was taken following inputs from the Intelligence Bureau citing concerns related to national security.
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The Bench directed the Centre to file its response within four weeks and scheduled the matter for hearing on July 6. It also ordered that the statutory review committee examine the blocking decision. Observing that the committee is mandated to meet every two months, the Court said it could consider all relevant aspects of the case and place its findings on record.
Satire defence rejected for now
During the hearing, senior advocate Akhil Sibal, appearing for Dipke, argued that the CJP account was engaged in “pure satire” and sought restoration of the account pending adjudication of the challenge.
He suggested that if any content was problematic, individual posts could remain restricted instead of blocking the entire account. The Court, however, declined to grant such relief at this stage, noting that the legal issues involved required further consideration.
The Bench also highlighted the lack of transparency surrounding the blocking order. “The blocking order neither you have seen nor I have seen,” it observed, while leaving open the possibility of examining the order at a later stage.