The Delhi High Court Friday asked the Centre to reply to pleas by Facebook and WhatsApp challenging the new IT rules for social media intermediaries requiring the messaging app to trace chats and make provisions to identify the first originator of the information. The pleas have challenged the new rules on the grounds that they violate the right to privacy and are unconstitutional.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice and asked the Centre through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to file a reply to the petition as well as application to stay the implementation of the Rules. The court listed the matter for further hearing on October 22.

The Delhi High Court Friday asked the Centre to reply to pleas by Facebook and WhatsApp challenging the new IT rules for social media intermediaries requiring the messaging app to trace chats and make provisions to identify the first originator of the information. The pleas have challenged the new rules on the grounds that they violate the right to privacy and are unconstitutional.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice and asked the Centre through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to file a reply to the petition as well as application to stay the implementation of the Rules. The court listed the matter for further hearing on October 22.