The AP High Court expressed anger at journalist and former president of the Official Language Commission, Pola Vijayababu, who has filed a petition in the High Court questioning the police’s registration of cases for posting on social media. In a way he challenged cases against YCP social media activists.
The AP High Court, which heard this petition, expressed the opinion that the petitioner had filed the petition with political motives and imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 on him. Vijayababu was ordered to pay the fine of Rs. 50,000 to the Legal Service Authority within a month. The High Court’s Chief Justice’s bench ordered that this amount be used for the welfare of the blind and deaf. It also made key comments on posts on social media.
The High Court, referring to Vijayababu’s PIL in support of those posting on social media, questioned whether those posting on social media were posting without knowing their rights? The court questioned the need to file a petition on their behalf, saying that those posting on social media were using expensive phones and electronic devices.
The court dismissed the petition, holding that the public interest litigation, which was supposed to be filed for those who cannot express their pain in society, was filed with political malice. The AP High Court questioned the petitioner about what would be wrong if those who engage in personal attacks and post obscene posts on social media were brought before the law?
It argued that what would be wrong if the police registered cases against them and arrested them? It questioned whether the government should take action against such people if hundreds of people post obscene posts with the same intention?
The court opined that posts are being posted on social media with the same intention and in the same manner, but the police are not filing cases in the same manner. The court expressed strong objection to such comments being made in a planned manner. The High Court warned that the law will not accept using social media platforms as they please and that this will be a crime in legal terms.
