Delhi Court Stays Order Directing Journalists to Remove Content Critical of Adani
A Delhi district court has issued an interim stay on a previous order that had directed several journalists and media outlets to take down allegedly defamatory content about Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL). The judge noted that the defendants should have been heard before such a sweeping ex parte injunction was passed. The original order had been cited by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to issue takedown notices to multiple news portals, raising concerns about press freedom and corporate influence.
Unpacked:
The district court issued the stay because the original order was passed without hearing the journalists and other defendants. The court found such ex parte action to be sweeping and unsustainable, potentially violating principles of fair trial and freedom of speech.
The journalists who appealed the takedown order are Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskanta Das, and Ayush Joshi. They were among ten defendants targeted by the original injunction and were represented by advocate Vrinda Grover.
The case raised concerns about press freedom because the original ex parte order allowed Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) to demand removal of articles before any judicial determination of defamation, potentially curbing journalists’ ability to report and violating Article 19(1)(a) of India’s Constitution guaranteeing free speech.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry cited the civil court’s original order to issue takedown notices to multiple news portals, amplifying concerns about state-backed enforcement of potentially premature censorship before legal due process had been followed.