HC notice to Centre, Odisha on Blue Whale Challenge PIL

The Orissa High Court today issued notices to the Centre and the state government asking them to file counters to a PIL that seeks to make public the Centre's notification to remove all links on social media platforms of deadly online game Blue Whale Challenge.
Admitting the petition filed by lawyer Shivshankar Mohanty, a division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice B R Sarangi issued the notices to the respondents, including the Government of India and Government of Odisha.
The court adjourned the matter to September 18.
In the petition, Mohanty has alleged that despite Centre's August 11 notification to remove the online links of the game, the intermediaries have not done so. Moreover, the notification is also not available in the public domain.

The lawyer-petitioner, who argued the case himself, told the court that Section 69(a) of Information Technology Act 2000 authorises the Centre to issue directions for blocking public access to any material that incites commission of any cognisable offence.
Mohanty annexed newspaper clippings to his petition and informed the Court that innocent youths are falling prey to the online challenge.
After crossing certain levels, the game administrator asks the participants to perform dangerous tasks like taking selfies on the edge of rooftops and abet them to commit suicide.