PIL Before Delhi High Court Against Circulation Of Deepfake Videos During Lok Sabha Polls

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Delhi High Court against circulation of deepfake videos trying to influence the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.

The plea was mentioned by Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta today before a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora.

Mehta informed court that the plea has been filed by a lawyers' body and requested that the same be listed urgently. The court allowed urgent listing of the PIL for tomorrow, if the plea is in order by 12:30 PM today.

The plea seeks a direction on the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take appropriate action and stop the circulation of the deepfake videos.

Mehta informed court that a representation was written to the ECI but no response was received.

As the court asked Mehta if the grievance redressal mechanism under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, has been invoked, Mehta said that by the time it gets triggered, it will be too late. Mehta said that by the time action is taken under the redressal mechanism under the IT Rules, the videos will be done. “These videos create a narrative of misinformation,” Mehta said.

To this, the court said: “That's the technology… what can be done. You apply with the platform.”

Mehta responded that the social media intermediaries have also been written under the Information Technology Rules, 2021.

The court then asked the counsel appearing for ECI to take instructions in the matter.

“We will take instructions,” the ECI counsel said.