New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that Facebook can be summoned by the Peace and Harmony Committee of the Delhi Assembly in connection with its alleged role in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, but the social media platform can choose not to answer on issues of law and order, communication or any other subject under the Central government's jurisdiction.
The bench comprising of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice Hrishikesh Roy pronounced the verdict on Facebook's vice president Ajit Mohan's petition challenging the summons issued by Delhi Assembly's Peace and Harmony committee concerning the Delhi riots. During the hearing, Mohan had submitted before the top court that he could not be forced to appear while the Delhi Assembly had argued that it has not called for coercive action but just summoned for information relating to the case.
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The court agreed with Delhi Assembly's contention and observed in the order that the petition by Mohan was premature as nothing has happened. The court added that the committee had the power to seek information on any matter without encroaching on any subject in the Seventh Schedule. However, the statements made in the press conference regarding Facebook's vested interest in the Delhi riots were condemned by the court. It said that they should not have been made as it could give rise to apprehension in the mind of the petitioner.