Delhi High Court Seeks Centre, Meta Response on NC MP's Facebook Page Suspension

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought responses from the central government and Meta Platforms on a petition filed by National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi challenging the suspension of his Facebook page.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma issued notices to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, asking them to file replies to the plea.

The court scheduled the next hearing for September 30 but declined to grant interim relief to Mr. Mehdi, observing that no order could be passed without hearing the other side.

During the proceedings, Meta's counsel informed the court that the page was taken down following a notice from a law enforcement agency, and sought time to place relevant documents on record.

According to the petition, Mr. Mehdi, a Lok Sabha member and religious leader, uses his Facebook page titled "Ruhullah Mehdi" to share information, interact with constituents, and engage in public discourse. The page has remained restricted since March following a notice under the Information Technology Act.

The plea alleges that Meta acted without giving him an opportunity to be heard or providing detailed reasons for the restriction. It argues that the statutory framework allows removal of specific unlawful content only after due process, and does not permit a blanket ban on an entire account without identifying offending material and adhering to Article 19(2) of the Constitution.

The petition also contends that the page is not just a platform for free speech but also a vital tool for professional engagement and public outreach.