While hearing YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia’s petition on the ‘India’s Got Latent’ controversy, the Supreme Court asked the Center if it plans to take any action to regulate “obscene” content like the show on YouTube and social media. This question could have wider implications for the regulation of online content.
The court also indicated that it would not “leave a vacuum” and take action on its own if the government did not do so. The Supreme Court bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh asked Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who was appearing in another case, during the hearing on Tuesday, when it granted Mr. Allahbadia temporary relief but not before severely criticizing him for his remarks and placing restrictions on him, whether the Center would take action to control “obscene” content like “India’s Got Latent” on websites like YouTube and social media platforms.
The bench referred to the matter as “serious” and requested that the Attorney General and the Solicitor General support the court in the upcoming hearing on Mr. Allahbadia’s proposal. “There was this case of Youtubers… Union of India is a party… We would like to do something. Government of India will willingly do it, we will be very happy. Otherwise, we are not going to leave this vacuum. The way it is being misused by so-called YouTube channels and all these things are going on… We have issued notice. So please request the Attorney General and the Solicitor General to be here on the next date of hearing. We would like to do something. We may not overlook the importance and sensitivity of the issue,” Justice Surya Kant said.
Following reports that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology is thinking of writing to the Center to strengthen laws to ensure that controversies like the one surrounding Mr. Allahbadia’s remarks and the show they were made on are not repeated, the Supreme Court made its comments a few days later. It is believed that the panel is thinking about suggesting that the regulations pertaining to digital content be strengthened.
The bench chastised the YouTuber for his remarks, asking, “If this is not obscenity in this country, then what is?” in response to Mr. Allahbadia’s plea, which sought anticipatory relief and the clubbing of FIRs against him in many jurisdictions. “There is something very dirty in his mind, which has been vomited by him in the programme…He is insulting parents as well. Why should the courts entertain people like him… The words which you have used, parents will feel shamed. Sisters and daughters will feel ashamed. The entire society will feel ashamed. It shows a perverted mind,” Justice Kant said.
In the ‘India’s Got Latent’ issue, the court ordered that no more FIRs be filed against Mr. Allahbadia and granted him temporary protection from arrest. However, it instructed him to turn in his passport to the police and participate in the investigation when called. Additionally, it requested that he wait for further instructions before leaving the country or airing any other shows.
