SC sets deadline to Madras High Court, asks it to decide on TikTok ban within 2 days

The Supreme Court has directed the Madras High Court to decide on the ban on TikTok by April 24. According to the SC, if the High Court doesn't decide by then, the stay against downloading of the App will be vacated. Appearing for TikTok's parent company Byte Dance, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the ban was imposed ex-parte and TikTok was not given a chance to defend itself.

The bench observed in its order that there was inappropriate content, including pornography on the platform and was easily accessible to children across the nation. Earlier the Madras High Court on a plea filed by advocate and social activist Muthu Kumar on 1 April 2019 had held that TikTok be banned in India for its pornographic content and its potential of exposing children to sexual predators. The Madras High Court had appointed an amicus curiae (a party unrelated to the case) to assist the court in getting a better picture of the issues in the case.