Not willing to appear before panel: FB to SC

THE COURT WAS HEARING A PLEA BY FB INDIA AND ITS VP AND MD

Facebook India told the Supreme Court on Thursday that it is unwilling to participate in the proceedings before the Delhi assembly’s Peace and Harmony Committee which is probing the riots of February 2020 and the role of the social media company in failing to curb hate speech at the time.

Senior counsel Harish Salve, representing Facebook, told a bench headed by justice Sanjay

Kishan Kaul that the proceedings before the committee are outside the scope of jurisdiction of the Delhi assembly and that Facebook is regulated by Central law – the Information Technology Act (IT Act).

“I am not willing to go before them. Allegations are being made that Facebook has created disharmony in Delhi. Facebook does not write anything. It provides a platform. We are regulated by a Central law – the IT Act,” Salve said.

The central government also threw its weight behind Facebook, stating that Delhi assembly’s action in holding such an inquiry is without jurisdiction.

“Public order and police are not under Delhi assembly and their action is without jurisdiction,” solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who was representing the Centre, submitted.

The court was hearing a plea by Facebook India and its vice president and managing director, Ajit Mohan, challenging the September 10 and September 18 notices issued by the Committee which sought Mohan’s presence as part of its inquiry into the Delhi riots.

The Delhi government has maintained that Mohan was summoned to ascertain the company’s views on the question of whether it had contributed to the building up of a situation which ended in communal riots.