Withdrawn notification on social media hub: govt to SC

Attorney General K K Venugopal informed a three judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the government has taken a decision to withdraw it. Reuters file photo

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has withdrawn the notification pertaining to establish a social media hub for monitoring online activities of the citizens.

Attorney General K K Venugopal informed a three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra that the government has taken a decision to withdraw it.

The move by the NDA government comes weeks after the apex court took strong exception to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's decision in April, saying it would be "like creating a surveillance state".

In view of Friday's development, the bench disposed of a PIL filed by TMC MLA Mahua Moitra.

The court had earlier also asked if the government wanted to tap citizens' WhatsApp messages.