NO COERCIVE ACTION AGAINST FB INDIA HEAD: SC

New Delhi, Sept. 23: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed a Delhi Legislative Assembly panel not to take coercive action against Facebook India head Ajit Mohan till October 15 over its summons to him to depose before it in connection with the north east Delhi riots.

Following the order, the Peace and Harmony Committee of the Delhi Assembly deferred its proceedings, and said it would notify the further course of action and the next date of sitting in due course of time. The committee, chaired by AAP MLA Raghav Chadha, had issued a notice to Mohan, who is the vice president and managing director of Facebook India, over complaints accusing the social media giant of deliberately not taking action to curb hateful content on its platform. The committee had issued a fresh notice to Mohan to appear before it on Wednesday.

Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Mohan, submitted in the top court that the committee cannot decide the breach of privilege of the house and that administrative control over social media is with the Central government. “Privilege is something to be decided by the Assembly. A committee cannot decide whether action on privilege can be taken or not,” Salve said, adding the Delhi government could not put Mohan “in the pain of punishment” by asking him to appear before the Committee. Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, appearing for the legislative committee, however, submitted it is not proper for the court to stay the proceedings in the matter, and that there is no question of coercive action.