Will treat action against pleas on social media as contempt: SC

New Delhi: A clampdown on messages for help on social media is the “worst way” to deal with the Covid-19 crisis, said the Supreme Court on Friday, warning all state governments against taking action against people using online platforms to make desperate appeals for oxygen, essential medicines, and other help.

Any such action by governments or state police would be treated as a contempt of court, the top court added.

“It is a matter of grave concerns to us. If citizens communicate their grievances either on the Internet or on social media, there cannot be a clampdown. We don’t want a clampdown of information. That’s the worst way of dealing with a crisis,” observed a bench headed by justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud.