[BREAKING] Central govt moves Supreme Court for transfer of cases challenging IT Rules 2021 from High Courts to Supreme Court

The Central government has filed a transfer petition before the Supreme Court seeking to transfer all petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021) from various High Courts to the Supreme Court..The transfer plea was filed in the wake of several high courts including Delhi, Bombay, Madras and Kerala High Courts being seized of such cases. .On July 5, Delhi High Court bench led by Justice Rekha Palli heard a plea by one Amit Acharya, who sought action against Twitter users for their tweets on a video from Ghaziabad showing a Muslim man being assaulted. The petition had sought a direction to Twitter to appoint a Resident Grievance Officer as required under Rule 4 of the IT Rules, 2021..An affidavit filed by the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) before the Delhi High Court stated,"In spite of the three months’ time granted to all SSMIs to comply with the IT Rules 2021 having expired on 26.05.2021, Respondent No. 2 (Twitter) has failed to fully comply with the same.".Will not let Twitter take as long it wants in our country: Delhi High Court in plea to direct social media giant to comply with IT Rules, 2021.Central government told the Delhi High Court that Twitter is not complying with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021), given the fact that the person appointed to deal with grievances that arise in India is residing in the United States of America..Meanwhile, Madras High Court too on June 23 issued notice in a writ petition moved by the Digital News Publishers Association, comprising thirteen media outlets and journalist Mukund Padmanabhan challenging the constitutional validity of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021)..Madras High Court admits another challenge to IT Rules, 2021; Plea moved by Digital News Publishers Association, Journalist Mukund Padmanabhan.Thirteen media outlets in India under the Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) had moved the Madras High Court against the new IT Rules, asking that the court declare the new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 as ultra vires, void and violative of fundamental rights under the Constitution. Earlier, on June 10, the Court had issued notice in a similar plea moved by Carnatic musician, author and activist TM Krishna..Similar petitions were also filed before the Bombay and Kerala High Courts..The plea before Bombay High Court by a legal news website and former journalist too contended that the new IT Rules are contrary to the provisions of law including Article 14 (equality before the law), Articles 19 (1) (a) (to freedom of speech and expression), 19 (1) (g) (to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business).."IT Act does not empower Govt to regulate digital media:" Journalist moves Bombay High Court challenging Information Technology Rules 2021