Disposed

Panj Daria Vigilant Media Pvt. Limited through Its Director and Another v. State of Punjab and Another

Punjab & Haryana HC26 Nov 2025CRM-M/21531/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Petition sought quashing of a Magistrate's order treating an application under IT Rules and Section 90 BNSS as public interest litigation without notice or locus determination. Petitioners withdrew the petition to pursue remedies before the Magistrate; the Court permitted withdrawal without examining merits.

What did the court decide?

Petition permitted to be withdrawn; pending miscellaneous applications disposed of.

Panj Daria Vigilant Media Pvt. Limited… — Writ and Judicial Review | Punjab & Haryana HC (2025)

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CRM-M No.21531 of 2025 (O & M) -1-

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH

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207

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CRM-M No.21531 of 2025 (O & M) Date of decision : 26.11.2025 Date of uploading : 27.11.2025

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Panj Daria Vigilant Media Pvt. Limited and another

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………….Petitioners

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Versus

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State of Punjab and others …….Respondents

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMEET GOEL

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Present: Mr. Bipan Ghai, Senior Advocate with Mr. Gurjas S. Gill, Advocate, for the petitioner

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Mr. Jaypreet Singh, DAG, Punjab

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Mr. Prateek Sodhi, Advocate, for respondent no.2

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Mr. Shikhar Sarin, Advocate, for respondent no.3

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Mr. Chandandeep Singh, Advocate, for respondent no.4

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Mr. Ayush Gupta, Advocate, for respondent no.7

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SUMEET GOEL, J. (ORAL)

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1. The substantive prayer made in the petition reads thus:

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‘It is therefore respectfully prayed that quashing of Order dated 07.04.2025 (Annexure P-1) passed by Ld. JMIC, Ludhiana being illegal and without jurisdiction as the Ld. Magistrate has treated the application given by one Davinder Singh Kalra under section 3(1)(d) and 3(2)(b) of I.T. (Intermediary Guidelines & Digital Media Ethics Code) Rule, 2021 read with section 90 of BNSS of 2023 as "public interest litigation" which was beyond the jurisdiction of Ld. Magistrate and without issuing notice to any party, on the same day, decided the application without considering as

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ASHWANI KUMAR 2025.11.27 09:33 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

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CRM-M No.21531 of 2025 (O & M) -2-

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to whether the applicant had any locus standi to approach the Ld. Magistrate while passing said order.’

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Learned senior counsel for the petitioners submits that petitioner no.1 has already filed an impleadment application before the concerned Magistrate and, hence, the petitioners wish to pursue their remedy(s) before the said Court. In view thereof, learned senior counsel seeks to withdraw the petition in hand.

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Ordered accordingly.

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Needless to say that, in view of the withdrawal of the main petition, this Court has not delved into the merits of the impugned order. 5. Pending miscellaneous application(s), if any, stand disposed of accordingly.

(SUMEET GOEL)

JUDGE

26.11.2025

Ashwanii

Whether speaking/reasoned: Yes/No Whether reportable: Yes/No

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ASHWANI KUMAR 2025.11.27 09:33 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document