Delhi High Court asks social media firms to act after NTR Junior alleges violation of personality rights

Actor Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Junior, popularly known as NTR Jr, has approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights [Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao v Ashok Kumar/John Doe and Ors].

The matter came up before Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora on Monday when Senior Advocate J Sai Deepak appeared for the Telugu star and informed the Court about several materials present on e-commerce platforms and social media sites infringing his personality rights. 

After hearing the case, the Court ordered the e-commerce platforms and social media companies to treat NTR Jr’s suit as a complaint under Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 and take necessary steps in three days. 

The Court stated that it will hear the case again on December 22 and issue a comprehensive order regarding NTR Jr.’s personality rights. 

“We will pass the formal order on the next date,” Justice Arora remarked. 

NTR Jr’s personality rights suit was filed through advocate Shiv Verma. 

Notably, the Court while hearing personality rights case of Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan on November 27 had said that the parties approaching the Court must first avail the statutory remedies under the 2021 IT Rules and ask the social media intermediaries to act on their grievance regarding removal of defamatory and derogatory material.