Punjab and Haryana High Court says a social media user must get a copy of the blocking intimation sent to the platform

20 October 2026

Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya of the Punjab and Haryana High Court decided a petition by Haryana 24 News Network Private Limited in CWP No. 30190 of 2026.
The Superintendent of Police, Yamuna Nagar, had sent an intimation dated 21 August 2026 to Meta to disable the company's Facebook page.
The Court held that an intimation under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act must be issued by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police, specifically authorised by the appropriate government.
Since the intimation came from a Superintendent of Police, the Court held it was issued without jurisdiction and set it aside.
Although the Information Technology Rules of 2021 do not expressly require prior notice, the Court read into Rule 3(2) an obligation to furnish the user with a copy of the intimation when it is sent to the intermediary.
The Court rejected the argument that the user should first use the platform's grievance mechanism, since a user who does not know the intimation cannot meaningfully challenge the blocking.
It directed that the Facebook page be restored within 24 hours of receipt of a certified copy of the order.