The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre to file a fresh response on a plea filed by a group of academics seeking directions to the police and investigating agencies to specify guidelines on seizing, examining and preserving personal digital and electronic devices and their contents, Live Law reported.
“We are not satisfied with the counter and we seek a new and proper reply,” a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh ordered.
The five academics who filed the writ petition are former Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Ram Ramaswamy, Savitribai Phule Pune University professor Sujata Patel, professor of Cultural Studies at Hyderabad’s English and Foreign Languages University Madhava Prasad, professor of Modern Indian history at Jamia Millia Islamia Mukul Kesavan and theoretical ecological economist Deepak Malghan.
The petitioners have sought several directions to be given to the investigating agencies and the police. including seeking permission of a judicial magistrate before accessing or seizing electronic devices and specifying how the material to be examined is relevant or linked to the alleged offence.
In the counter-affidavit, the Centre had stated that the plea is not maintainable. At Thursday’s hearing, the court expressed its dissatisfaction on the Centre’s response.
“The counter affidavit is not complete,” the judges said. “Saying not maintainable, etc., is not enough. Please look…
