The High Court of Telangana disposed of a 2012 PIL seeking directions to ban the film "Innocence of Muslims". Noting that the Central Government would strictly adhere to IT blocking rules, the Court held no further orders were needed and closed the case.
No further orders passed; public interest litigation disposed without costs.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD
MONDAY, THE TWENTY FIRSTDAY OF FEBRUARY TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY TWO
PRESENT
THE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SATISHCHANDRA SHARMA AND THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE ABHINANDKUMAR SHAVILI
PIL NO: 338 OF 2012
Betwee n:
It/r. It/ohammed Haji,, S/o. It/ohammedZahoor,Aged 44 yrs, Occ: Business, R/o. 23-1-1008, lvloghalpura, Hyderabad. ...PEIIoNER
AND
Petition under Article 226 of lheconstitution of lndia praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavitfiled therewith,the High courtmay be pleased to issue an appropriate writ,order or direction more particularly in the nature of "MANDAIMUS,, declaring the inaction of the 1st,2nd and 3rd Respondentsin not stopping the exhibiting of thefilm "lnnocence of Muslims" also knownas the [,4uhammed Movie trailer and theReal Life of Muhammed,as arbitrary,illegal, unjust, u nco nstitutiona l, contrary tolaw and in violation of principlesenshrined in Article 25 of the constitution and forconsequential directions to ban the film" lnnocence of Muslims" also known as thelt4uhammedMovie trailer and the RealLife of lvluhammed from being shownon the internetor any other form
l.A. NO: 1 OF 2012(PILMP.NO:457OF 20121
Petition under Section 151 CPCpraying that in the circumstancesstate d in the affidavit filed in supportof the petition, the High Court may be pleasedto direct the respondent No.4 from stoppingexhibition of the film "lnnocence of [Vuslims" also
known as. the Muhammed lvlovie trailer and the Real Life of[t4uhammed on You Tube on the lnternet,pending disposal of thepresent Writpetition Counsel for the Petitioner: SRI MOHD ABDUL QAVI ABBASI
Counsel for Respondent Nos. 1 & 2: SRI N. RAJESHWAR RAO ASSISTANT SOLICITOR GENERAL
Counsel for Respondent No. 3: GP FOR HOME
Counsel for Respondent Nos. 4 & 5:---
The Court made the following: ORDER
THE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SATISH CHANDRA SHARMA AND
THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE ABHINAND KUMAR SHAVILI
PUBLIC INTEREST LITIGATION No.338 of 2OL2
ORDER: Per the Han'bLe the Chief Justice Satish Chqndra Sharma)
The present public interest litigation has been filed in the year 2Ol2 at the time when the film i.e., Innocence of Muslims, was being released on YouTube.
Afler 2012, no one has appeared in the matter Learned Assistant Solicitor General ol India 111 apyrearir-rg for t'l-re Central Government is lair enortgh starting before this Court that t1-re Cer-rtral Gor,ernmenL shall be strictlv adhering to the statutory' provisions as contained in the information Technologv (Procedure and Safeguards lor Blocking for Access of Ir-rlormation bv Pubiic) Ruies, 2009, in case a complaint is made to the Central Government or anything is brought to their notice which requires blocking.
In the light of the aforesaid, no further orders are required to be passed ln the present public interest lit igatio n
:
The public inreresr litigation is accordingly disposed
ol
The miscellaneous applications pendrng, il an-v, shall
stand closed. There shall be no order as to costs.
SD/.R.KARTHIKEYAN ASSISTANT REGISTRAR
//TRUE COPY//
SE .ffir,.=
To, 1 9n"CC to Sri Mohd Abduteavi Abbasi Advocate [OPUC] 2. one cc to sri Namavarapu figjeswari n - Asii-sirnt goli"itor Generar (opuc) 3. Two ccs to Gp For Honie, Hisir, Court i;ii.;'-si;r. ;i ri,r"",igl;;'ic;,]i)'"' " 4. Two CD Copies 5, One Soare Coov IVBC a Bs ll'^
t,
HIGH COURT
DATED: 2110212022
tsF- Si^ r(
ot
'.) 0 4 ,lli 2[2
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ORDER
PlL.No.338 of 2012
DISPOSING OF THE WRIT PETITION
WITHOUT COSTS
)
2 issues framed by the court
Whether any further orders are required regarding the inaction of respondents in stopping the exhibition of the film "Innocence of Muslims" following the Central Government's commitment to statutory p
Whether the miscellaneous applications pending in the matter require disposal.
4 provisions across 3 enactments
It/or. It/ohammed Haji
1 Broadcasting Corporation Of India
2r/inistry of lnformation and Technology
3 The Government Of Andhra Pradesh
4 Google lnc.
5 Google lndia Pvt. Ltd
Satish Chandra Sharma
Abhinand Kumar Shavili
As recorded by the court registry
Litigation brought on behalf of the public interest rather than a personal grievance, relaxing the usual rule of locus standi.
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
