The Delhi High Court has declined to immediately order the unblocking of the Cockroach Janta Party’s X account. The petition, filed by founder Abhijeet Dipke, challenged the blocking of the satirical collective’s social media handle. The court stated that any decision on interim relief would be made only after hearing responses from both the central government and X, and directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s review committee to examine the matter. The next hearing is scheduled for 6 July 2026.
According to The Indian Express, the plea argued that Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, does not grant a general power to prohibit a citizen from future speech via a particular account. The petition emphasised that blocking should only occur when necessary for sovereignty and integrity, and that account-level blocks suppress both past and future speech.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav observed that the content on the Cockroach Janta Party’s X page appeared “slightly offensive.” The bench refused interim relief, noting the need for holistic consideration and stating that the law regarding such actions remains in a nascent stage. The court issued notice to the Centre and X, requiring comprehensive affidavits from both parties.
As highlighted by Bar and Bench, the court remarked, “There may be some substance in your submissions but they all need to be considered. They will be considered holistically after hearing the other side. There are far reaching issues. There are wider ramifications.” The court also noted that the review committee is empowered to examine all aspects of the blocking order and that Dipke, who is currently outside India, may appear before the committee via video conferencing.
Legal representatives for Dipke argued that in previous cases, courts had restored accounts while allowing allegedly offending posts to remain blocked. However, the proceedings clarified that the current matter required a comprehensive response from the government before any interim order could be considered.
The Cockroach Janta Party emerged as a satirical online movement following remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, which were later clarified to refer to individuals with fake degrees. The group’s rapid rise on social media led to its X account being withheld in India, with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology citing national security concerns as coverage revealed.
During the hearing, the court reiterated that the review committee, as per Rule 14 of the IT Rules, must meet every two months and record its findings. The committee may set aside directions and order unblocking if it finds merit in the petitioner’s arguments as analysis showed.
The court also acknowledged the lack of clarity regarding the reasons for the blocking, noting that neither the petitioner nor the court had seen the full blocking order. The review committee’s findings are expected to be placed on record before the next hearing as details emerged.
