Delhi High Court Refuses To Interfere In Former CBI Head M Nageswara Rao's Plea For Restoration Of His Twitter Blue Tick

The Delhi High Court recently refused to interfere in a writ plea filed by former Central Bureau of Investigation head and Retired IPS Officer M. Nageswara Rao seeking restoration of his Twitter Blue Tick.

The bench of Justice Yashwant Varma however disposed of Rao's writ plea by giving him the liberty to reapply for verification. It may be noted that Rao had moved to the Delhi HC with his writ plea submitting that his account on Twitter did contain a blue tick, but the same was removed in March 2022.

During the course of the hearing, the Court noted that vide communication dated 22 March 2022, Twitter had apprised the petitioner that his account could not be verified since he had failed to confirm his email and phone number. In its communication, the social media platform had also left it open to the petitioner to reapply for verification.

Further, the Court also took into account the preliminary objection taken by Twitter regarding the maintainability of the writ petition itself contending that the microblogging social network would not be amenable to the jurisdiction of the Court.

However, the Court refrained from ruling on this preliminary objection bearing in mind the limited nature of the controversy which has fallen for consideration.

Against this backdrop, bearing in mind the nature of the disclosure made by Twitter in the case and the limited nature of the controversy, the Court disposed of the plea by giving liberty to the petitioner to reapply for verification.

Significantly, the Court has left it open for the petitioner to pursue appropriate remedies as may be available in law in the case he faces any adverse decision made by Twitter.

Case title - M. Nageswara Rao v. Union of India and Anr.

Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Del) 341

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