TikTok ban: Supreme Court asks Madras High Court to decide by April 24

The Madras High Court earlier this month passed an interim order banning mobile app citing inappropriate and pornographic content.

On April 17, the high court refused to stay the ban on the plea filed by Chinese company Bytedance, which owns TikTok. It appointed Arvind Datar as amicus curiae in the case and posted the matter for hearing on April 24. (AFP/ FILE)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Madras High Court to decide on TikTok's plea for an interim relief by April 24, failing which the ban imposed on the mobile app will stand lifted. The apex court Bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna refused to pass any order in the matter. The Madras High Court earlier this month passed an interim order banning mobile app citing inappropriate and pornographic content. On April 17, the high court refused to stay the ban on the plea filed by Chinese company Bytedance, which owns TikTok. It appointed Arvind Datar as amicus curiae in the case and posted the matter for hearing on April 24. Challenging the order in the Supreme Court, TikTok claimed it was based on exaggerations made by the petitioner. Through its counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi it also contended that problems faced by it were exactly those faced by other social media platforms and selective action against TikTok was violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court last week declined to stay the Madras High Court order and listed the matter for April 22.