The Supreme Court of India on Thursday declined Chinese social media app TikTok's plea seeking transfer of cases relating to the ban on it from the Madras High Court to the apex court.
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A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi rejected the TikTok plea that all matters pending in the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court be transferred to the Supreme Court for final and expeditious disposal.
The court said the Madras High Court can very well address all issues, including those relating to free speech.
"We are not inclined to entertain this transfer petition," the bench said.
Earlier, the Supreme Court directed the Madras High Court to decide on the interim relief on the ban imposed on mobile app TikTok.
TikTok had challenged the High Court order in the apex court. The company claimed that the court's interim order was based on exaggerations made by the petitioner.
On April 17, the High Court refused to stay its order calling for a ban on the download of the app.
TikTok has contended that the problems faced by it are exactly the same as those faced by other social media platforms. Selective action against TikTok was violative of Article 14 of the Constitution, it was contended.
Later, on April 24, the Madras High Court lifted its ban on TikTok on the condition that the platform should not be used to host obscene videos.
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