Non-compliance of IT Rules: Are you serious, Delhi HC asks Twitter

New Delhi, July 29: The Delhi High Court has pulled up Twitter for failing to comply with the new IT Rules. The court gave the microblogging platform one last opportunity to file an affidavit with details of the person appointed as the Chief Compliance Officer and Grievance Officer.

Are you serious about it, Justice Rekha Pillai asked. The affidavits clearly show a total non-compliance of rules, Justice Pillai said while granting Twitter a week's time and one last opportunity to file a better affidavit in terms of the earlier orders passed by the court.

The court took strong objection to the affidavits filed on behalf of Twitter that stated that the company had appointed the Chief Compliance Officer and Grievance Officer as contingent workers.

"What is this term contingent worker? What does this mean? This gives an impression that his duties are based on some contingencies," the court said. The court is hearing a petition seeking directions of the Union of India to issue directions to Twitter to appoint a Resident Grievance Officer under Rule 4 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Ethics Code) Rules 2021 without any delay. According to Rule 4(c) of the IT Rules, every significant social media intemediary has to appoint a Resident Grievance Officer. The officer shall be subject to clause (b), be responsible for the functions referred to in sub-rule (2) of rule 3, stated the petition.

The matter will next come up for hearing on August 6.