Tv Today Network Limited v. Union Of India

$~71 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 6037/2025 TV TODAY NETWORK LIMITED .....Petitioner Through:

Mr. Asheesh Jain, Sr. Adv. with Mr.

Shahrukh Ejaz, Ms. Devika Samant and Mr. Praveen Jain, Advs.

versus UNION OF INDIA .....Respondent Through:

Mr. Ishkaran Singh Bhandari, CGSC with Mr. Piyush Yadav, Adv.

CORAM:

HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TUSHAR RAO GEDELA

O R D E R

% 07.05.2025 CM APPL. 27582/2025 (for exemption) 1.

Exemption allowed, subject to all just exceptions. 2.

The application stands disposed of.

W.P.(C) 6037/2025 3.

Heard learned counsel for the parties.

4.

This petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India primarily raises concerns about the misuse of various Applications (Apps) such as Deepfake. A prayer has thus been made for issuing a direction to the respondents to frame some comprehensive mechanism under Information Technology Act, 2000 or otherwise to check the misuse and to provide for penal actions as well.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

5.

The issue raised in this petition is engaging attention of this Court in a batch of writ petitions, the leading writ petition being W.P.(C) No. 15596/2023 wherein this Court had passed an order on 21.11.2024 noticing that the Government of India itself has constituted a Committee for evolving such a mechanism and also for looking into the matters relating to the issue of Deepfakes. The Court in its order dated 21.11.2024, while acknowledging that delay in creation, detection and removal of deepfakes is causing immense hardship to the public at large, directed the Union of India to name the nominees to the Committee and further that the said Committee shall examine and take into consideration suggestions filed by the petitioners therein. 6.

On 24.03.2025, a status report was filed before this Court by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) informing the Court that two meetings of the said Committee have been held. The Court also recorded the statement on behalf of the MEITY that the Committee needs to deliberate on the issue further and, accordingly, three month's time was granted to the said Committee. The said matters are listed on 23.07.2025. 7.

Accordingly, having regard to the fact that the issue raised in this petition is already engaging attention of Committee constituted by the MEITY and the functioning of the said Committee is being monitored in the aforesaid batch of writ petitions, we direct that if the petitioner has any suggestions to give touching upon the issues raised in this petition, the same may be forwarded to the Committee constituted by the MEITY within 10 days. The suggestions which may be given by the petitioner under this Order shall also be taken into consideration by the Committee while deliberating and formulating the policy.

8.

With the aforesaid observations and directions, the writ petition stands The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

disposed of.

9.

In order to avoid multiplicity of litigations on the issue, we have disposed of the present petition with the directions as aforesaid, however, we grant liberty to the petitioner to seek its impleadment in the pending petitions, if any such need arises.

DEVENDRA KUMAR UPADHYAYA, CJ TUSHAR RAO GEDELA, J MAY 7, 2025 N.Khanna The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.