Ban on WhatsApp: Kerala HC dismisses PIL

KOCHI: The Kerala high court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on WhatsApp if it fails to comply with the new IT rules and grant government agencies access to user data.
A division bench comprising chief justice S Manikumar and justice Shaji P Chaly dismissed a petition (WP-C No. 12585/2021) filed by Omanakuttan TG of Amaravathi at Kumily in Idukki.
While dismissing the plea, the court pointed out as per the petition itself the central government has already asked WhatsApp to comply with the new IT rules.The court said it cannot entertain a plea raising the same demand again.
It was alleged by the petitioner that the app is being used by antinational and antisocial elements as messages cannot be traced as the service is end-to-end encrypted.
While WhatsApp contended before the Delhi high court that it cannot comply with the new IT rules due to the end-to-end encryption feature of the app, it has provided a separate privacy policy in Europe that is amenable to the laws there, the petition had said.