Supreme Court directs search engine websites to block ads on sex test
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday directed search engine websites like Google India, Microsoft India and Yahoo India to take steps to block sex determination advertisements to ensure that female infanticide does not take place.
Passing this order on a petition by Sabu Mathew George, the bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C. Nagappan said, “In our considered opinion, they are under obligation to see that the ‘doctrine of auto block’ is applied within a reasonable period of time.
It is difficult to accept the submission that once it is brought to their notice, they will do the needful. It need not be over emphasised that it has to be an in-house procedure/method to be introduced by the companies, and we do direct.”
Counsel for the petitioner, Sanjay Parikh opposed the submissions on behalf of the search engines and intermediaries and said expansive interpretation has to be placed under Section 22 of the PNDT Act and the websites should be made responsible for the advertisements popping up on use of certain key words.
Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar also said it is the responsibility of the service providers to take steps to block the websites. The bench directed the matter to be listed for final hearing on November 16.
