Sex determination case: SC asks Google, Yahoo, Microsoft to respond

The apex court had directed the respondents to not advertise or sponsor any advertisement which would violate Section 22 of the PCPNDT Act, 1994

The Supreme Court today asked search engines like Google India, Yahoo India and Microsoft Corporation (I) Pvt Ltd to respond to the allegations that they were violating Indian laws and a court order by not blocking advertisements on sex determination of a foetus.

"You take instruction and file affidavit within two weeks in this regard," the bench comprising justices Dipak Misra and R Banumathi said, when lawyer for the PIL petitioner alleged that these firms were still violating law and the order.

The court's order came when Sanjay Parikh, appearing for PIL petitioner Sabu Mathew George, said that throughout the world, the search engines have been directed to block "certain service/giving of information which are not permissible to be shown in that country despite the issues of jurisdiction and technical problems being raised."

The apex court had earlier heard the petitioner's counsel and said "as an interim measure, it is directed, the respondents, namely Google, Yahoo and Microsoft shall not advertise or sponsor any advertisement which would violate Section 22 of the PCPNDT Act, 1994. If any advertisement is there on any search engine, the same shall be withdrawn forthwith by the respondents."

George had told the court that despite its order, search engines like Google India, Yahoo India and Microsoft Corporation(I)Pvt Ltd were not blocking advertisements on sex determination.

The court is hearing a PIL filed by George seeking court's intervention in view of decreasing number of girl child in the country.

Earlier, the court had come down heavily on various states for their failure to stop female foeticide leading to an alarming drop in the sex ratio in the country.