YSRCP Moves High Court Over Blocking of Official Facebook Page

The opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has approached the High Court, alleging that the state government led by N. Chandrababu Naidu was behind the blocking of its official Facebook page in India.

YSRCP General Secretary Lella Appi Reddy on Tuesday filed a petition seeking directions to Meta to immediately disclose complete details regarding the action. The party has sought information on which government official ordered the blocking of the Facebook page, the specific content that led to the action, and copies of all notices and communications related to the decision.

In his petition, Appi Reddy argued that under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, social media platforms are obligated to provide users with copies of government notices whenever content is removed based on such directives. He alleged that Meta violated its own policies and legal obligations by blocking the YSRCP Facebook page without disclosing the reasons or providing copies of the relevant notices.

The petitioner urged the High Court to declare Meta's actions illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional. He also requested interim directions compelling Meta to furnish copies of all government notices and communications that resulted in the blocking of the page until the case is adjudicated.

'Meta Is Assisting the Ruling Party'

Appi Reddy contended that the Supreme Court, in the landmark Shreya Singhal vs Union of India case, had clearly ruled that social media platforms should not act arbitrarily under the guise of government notices.

According to the petition, the blocking is believed to have been carried out through the government's "Sahyog Portal." However, the identity of the authority that issued the notice and whether it was a legally notified agency has not been disclosed.

The petition further stated that Rule 16 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, permits confidentiality only in cases involving blocking orders issued under Section 69A of the IT Act. It argued that this confidentiality provision does not apply to actions taken by Meta under Section 79(3)(b).

Appi Reddy alleged that Meta, which is expected to function as a neutral platform, was instead acting at the behest of the ruling establishment and helping suppress the voice of an opposition party, thereby compromising its neutrality.

The petition names the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Designated Officer of the Ministry, Meta Platforms Inc., and the Principal Secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Home Department as respondents.

'Violation of Freedom of Expression'

According to the petition, Meta blocked the official Facebook page of YSRCP across India on June 9, 2026. The company reportedly informed the party that the action was taken pursuant to a notice received from the Government of India or a law enforcement agency under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act.

However, the petition claims that Meta failed to disclose which authority issued the notice or the grounds on which the action was taken. It also alleged that the page was blocked overnight without any prior notice or opportunity for the party to present its case.

"As a political party, communicating with the public and millions of followers is a fundamental democratic right. Blocking our official Facebook page amounts to curtailing our constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression," the petition stated.

The party further argued that if any specific post, video or image was found to violate the law, the concerned content could have been removed. However, blocking the entire Facebook page of a major opposition party based on what it described as a vague and undisclosed notice amounted to an action beyond the scope of the law, the petition added.