Sri Lankan Judge Approaches Karnataka High Court Seeking Removal Of Online Content Against Him

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday (March 5) issued notice on a writ petition moved by a sitting judge of Sri Lankan Supreme Court Justice AHMD Nawaz seeking removal of certain allegedly defamtory content invoking his "right to be forgotten" under the Constitution of India. 

The petition seeks direction to the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology as well as Google India to remove all allegedly defamatory contents regarding the petitioner and prevent reproduction of similar material.

The plea further seeks a direction to the respondents to impose a complete ban on the URL searches and also allow the petitioner "to be forgotten for a crime" he never committed. 

Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum in his order said: 

"Sri Manu P Kulkarni, learned standing counsel is directed to accept notice for respondents No.2 and 3. Learned counsel for the petitioner is hereby directed to serve notice to respondents No.4 and 5 through E-mail. Learned counsel for the petitioner shall serve two sets of copies of the writ petition on the standing counsel. Re-list this matter in preliminary hearing on 16.03.2026".

Apart from issuing notice to the Central Government and Google, the court also issued to two Sri Lankan news publications–Colombo Telegraph and Lanka e-News who are stated to have published the alleged defamatory content. 

The petitioner said that he chose not to file a lawsuit in Sri Lanka on ethical grounds as it might give rise to an apprehension of bias, given his position as a Judge of the Apex Court of the country. 

Case title: JUSTICE A.H.M.D NAWAZ v/s MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & Ors. 

WP 1277/2025

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