Delhi High Court sought responses from the Centre and Meta over restrictions on the Bring Back Ballot Instagram account. The plea says the unexplained action violated constitutional rights and stifled peaceful electoral advocacy.Newdelhi,Oct 28, 2026 16:26 ISTThe Delhi High Court has sought responses from the Centre and Meta Platforms on a petition challenging the restriction of the Instagram account 'Bring Back Ballot', which advocated the use of paper ballots in elections, news agency Press Trust of India reported.Justice Amit Mahajan issued notice on October 27 on the petition filed by the account's operator, Mission Save Constitution, and its founder, lawyer Mehmood Pracha.
The court listed the case for hearing on November 6.According to PTI, the petition said the organisation discovered that the Instagram account was unavailable in India on the day it planned to hold a peaceful protest titled 'Bring Back Ballot – EVM Hatao Desh Bachao' at Jantar Mantar.The petition alleged that restricting the entire account, which had more than 50,000 followers, was disproportionate and without reason or prior notice. "The handle advocated, peacefully and lawfully, a return to paper ballots in Indian elections under the slogan 'EVM Hatao Desh Bachao', and mobilised citizens for the peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 10.10.2026, of which prior intimation had been given to the Delhi Police on 10.09.2026," the plea said."On 10.10.2026, the very day of the petitioners' peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar, the handle began displaying the message: 'Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content'," it added.
The petition claimed that the restriction violated Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b), 19(1)(c) and 21 of the Constitution, as well as the Information Technology Act, 2000, and its rules.It said Instagram's notice did not disclose any order, identify the authority that issued it or specify the content to which objections had been raised. It also alleged that the organisation had not been given a way to challenge the decision.The petitioner said it works to promote constitutional values, democratic participation and the integrity of the electoral process.
It told the court that the Instagram account was launched in September as part of the organisation's 'Bring Back Ballot' initiative.The High Court will hear the matter on November 6 after seeking the Centre's and Meta Platforms' responses to the challenge against restricting the account in India.- Ends