"Why Touchy About Comments On Court Proceedings?" Supreme Court On Delhi HC Order To Remove Wikipedia Page On ANI's Defamation Suit

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a petition filed by Wikimedia Foundation against an order passed by the Delhi High Court directing the removal of a Wikipedia page and discussions related to ongoing defamation proceedings initiated by news agency Asian News International against Wikipedia. During the hearing, the bench comprising Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan expressed concerns about the High Court's direction and the observation that the content amounted to interference with ongoing court proceedings. In the impugned order, a division bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela of the Delhi High Court directed the takedown of a Wikipedia page titled "Asian News International vs. Wikimedia Foundation.” The High Court took exception to comments on the page which it found to be prima facie contemptuous, particularly a statement that a judge had threatened to order the shutdown of Wikipedia in India. In the Supreme Court, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Wikimedia, argued that the issue was serious and contended that the High Court had passed an order without making a finding on defamation.