The Delhi High Court has sought a response from Meta Platforms in a petition filed by Srinagar Lok Sabha MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi challenging the blocking of his Facebook page.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma is hearing the petition, in which Mehdi has questioned the action that has rendered his Facebook page inaccessible. The petitioner has contended that the restriction was imposed without adequately informing him of the specific grounds or content that led to the action.
During the hearing, Meta’s counsel submitted that the Facebook page had been disabled pursuant to a notice received from a law enforcement agency. The social media company sought time to place the relevant notice and material before the Court.
The petitioner, however, has raised questions over the procedure followed in restricting access to his account. His counsel submitted that despite approaching Meta’s grievance redressal mechanism, the petitioner was not provided a substantive response within the prescribed period.
Mehdi’s plea invokes his fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. It also relies upon Articles 14 and 21, contending that the action has adversely affected his ability to communicate with his constituents through an important digital platform.
The petition argues that the Facebook page is not merely a personal social-media account but also serves as a medium through which an elected Member of Parliament communicates with the public and conveys information concerning his political and public activities.
The petitioner has further questioned the legality of imposing a blanket restriction on the page without identifying the particular posts or material alleged to have violated the law. According to the plea, such action raises questions concerning procedural safeguards available to users when online content or accounts are restricted.
The petition challenges the restriction that has been in place since March 3, 2026. Mehdi has alleged that the concerned authorities and Meta failed to furnish him with adequate details regarding the basis for disabling his Facebook page.
The proceedings bring into focus the balance between governmental powers to seek removal or restriction of online content and the constitutional protections governing freedom of expression. They also raise questions regarding the obligations of social-media intermediaries and the grievance redressal framework under the Information Technology Rules.
The High Court has granted Meta time to respond to the petition and listed the matter for further hearing on September 30.
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