Approach govt for action against 'fake' news portals: HC to petitioner

Srinagar, June 4

The High Court of J&K and Ladakh today asked a petitioner to approach the government for action against the unregistered social media news portals. The Division Bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice DS Thakur directed Muhammad Shuja, who has been seeking a ban on social media news portals and pages, to file the grievance before the government for their regulation.

The government would be free to consider Shuja’s grievance and take “an appropriate action most expeditiously as may be permissible by law, the court said.

Shuja, general secretary of the J&K People’s Forum, who filed the public interest litigation, also prayed for the appointment of a regulatory authority to grant permission to the social media news channels, networks and news portals. “The petitioner, with regard to regulating and controlling the social media networks, may submit representation and suggestions to the principal secretary…,” the court said before disposing of the PIL.