India, May 30 -- The Delhi high court has sought responses from the Union government and lieutenant governor (LG) Vinai Kumar Saxena on a petition challenging a Central notification that empowers Delhi Police officers to issue takedown orders to social media platforms for removing online content.

A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyay and justice Tushar Rao Gedela on Wednesday issued notice to the LG and the Union ministry of electronics and information technology (MEIT) on a plea filed by the Software Freedom Law Centre (SFLC). The matter will be heard next on September 17.

The petition pertains to a gazette notification issued on December 26, 2024, through which Saxena authorised at least 23 senior Delhi Police officers to issue takedow...