Aneesh Menon vs Joint Secretary (P And A)
2021 Latest Caselaw 19129 Ker

            IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
                               PRESENT
        THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.B.SURESH KUMAR
 MONDAY, THE 13TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2021 / 22ND BHADRA, 1943
                    WP(C) NO. 15963 OF 2021
PETITIONER/S:

            ANEESH MENON,
            S/O.GOPALAKRISHNAN P.,
            AGED 34 YEARS, KRISHNA VALSALYAM,
            ARIMPOOR, THRISSUR DISTRICT, PIN 680 620.
            BY ADVS.
            D.FEROZE
            C.J.JIYAS


RESPONDENT/S:

    1       JOINT SECRETARY (P & A)
            MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING ROOM
            NO.552,                              A WING
            SHASTRI BHAWAN NEW DELHI - 110 001
    2       GEORGE LIC,
            1600 AMPHITHEATRE PARKWAY,
            MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA 940 43,
            UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HAVING ITS
            MUMBAI OFFICE AT GOOGLE INDIA PVT. LTD.,
            1ST FLOOR, 3RD NORTH AVENUE, MAKER MAXITY,
            BANDRA (E), MUMBAI 400 051,
            REPRESENTED BY NODAL OFFICER, INDIA
    3       NAVA KERALA NEWS,
            BUILDING NO:-XXXVII/1382 MANATHU ROAD,
            NEAR SUNRISE HOSPITAL, KAKKANAD 682 030
            REPRESENTED BY CHIEF EDITOR.
            BY SRI.S.VAIDYANADHAN, CGC

     THIS    WRIT   PETITION    (CIVIL)     HAVING    COME    UP    FOR
ADMISSION    ON   13.09.2021,    THE     COURT   ON   THE    SAME   DAY
DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING:
 W.P.(C)No.15963 of 2021                        2




                                W.P.(C)No.15963 of 2021
                     -------------------------------------------------------


                                      JUDGMENT

The grievance voiced by the petitioner in the writ petition

concerns the delay on the part of the first respondent in considering

Ext.P3 complaint preferred by the petitioner.

2. The learned Central Government Counsel, on

instructions, submits that under Rule 13 of the Information Technology

(Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021

framed under the Information Technology Act, 2000 which has been

notified on 25.02.2021, the authorized officer to deal with the

complaints of the instant nature is the first respondent.

In the circumstances, the writ petition is disposed of

directing the first respondent to take appropriate action on Ext.P3

complaint of the petitioner in accordance with law, after affording the

petitioner an opportunity of hearing. This shall be done within six

weeks. It is directed that the hearing ordered in terms of this judgment

can be conducted through video conferencing as well.

Sd/-

P.B.SURESH KUMAR, JUDGE rkj

APPENDIX OF WP(C) 15963/2021

PETITIONER EXHIBITS Exhibit P1 TRUE COPY OF THE NOTICE DATED 20.7.2021 INITIATED AGAINST THE 3RD RESPONDENT Exhibit P2 TRUE COPY OF THE COMMUNICATION RECEIVED DATED 28.7.2021 FROM THE 2ND RESPONDENT Exhibit P3 TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DATED 26.7.2021 SUBMITTED BEFORE THE 1ST RESPONDENT