HC declines to order immediate restoration of CJP X account
What's the story
The Delhi High Court has refused to immediately restore the X account of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical online movement. The court issued a notice to the Union government and X, but said it can only grant relief after hearing both sides. "There may be some substance in your submissions, but they all need to be considered," Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said.
Review committee
CJP's X account blocked on national security grounds
The court has ordered a review of the blocking order and set July 6 as the next hearing date. It also observed that a review committee should meet every two months to examine all aspects against such orders. The CJP's X account was blocked on "national security concerns" based on Intelligence Bureau inputs. Meanwhile, the court directed the Review Committee of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to examine founder Abhijeet Dipke's case, granting him liberty to appear virtually.
Legal challenge
Petition filed through NG Law Chambers
The CJP was founded by Abhijeet Dipke, who is currently based in Boston, USA. The movement had gained immense popularity with millions of followers on social media platforms. The petition challenging the blocking order was filed through Advocate Nakul Gandhi of NG Law Chambers. Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal argued for restoration during the hearing, but the court maintained it could only issue notice at this stage.
Movement's origin
Movement gained momentum after May 15 Supreme Court proceedings
The CJP movement started after the Supreme Court proceedings on May 15, where Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed concern over unemployed young lawyers turning to social media. The movement uses political satire to address issues like unemployment and institutional accountability. During the hearing, Sibal argued for partial restoration of tweets, but the court noted differences with past cases where only some tweets were blocked.