Supreme Court pulls up Centre for ignoring child-exploitation removal orders

The Court addressed the failure of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Law and Justice to file the required counter or report as previously directed.

Who it concerns: Petitioner: Just Rights for Children Alliance & Anr.; Respondent: S. Harish & Ors. (Union of India); Bench: Hon'ble Mr. Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Hon'ble Mr. Justice K. Vinod Chandran.

What the court decided

• The Court noted that no counter or report had been filed by the Union of India despite a previous order dated 14th August 2026.
• The Court granted one last opportunity to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Law and Justice to file a counter/report.
• The report must explain steps taken to implement the directions from the main judgment dated 23.09.2024 and steps taken to curb the menace highlighted in the application.
• The report must indicate precautions the Government will take to prevent lapses by social media intermediaries.
• The matter was posted for 15th October 2026.

Also in the document

• The Court described the matter as 'extremely serious'.
• Mr. Deepak Goel, Scientist G, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), was personally present in the Court.
• The order is an interim direction regarding compliance with a previous final judgment dated 23-09-2024.