New IT rules: Google say law not applicable to search engines, Delhi HC seeks Centre’s stand

India’s new Intermediary rules are not applicable to Google search engines, the tech company told Delhi High Court on Wednesday.

It has urged the court to set aside a single-judge order that applied the norms on the company while dealing with an issue related to the removal of offending content from the internet.

“The single judge has misinterpreted and misapplied the New Rules 2021 to the appellant’s search engine,” Google said in its appeal.

“Additionally, the single judge has conflated various sections of the IT Act and separate rules prescribed thereunder, and has passed template orders combining all such offences and provisions, which is bad in law,” it added.