SABU MATHEW GEORGE Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In pursuance of our orders dated 5th July, 2016, and 25th July, 2016, an affidavit has been filed by the competent authority of the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India. It is submitted by Mr. Ranjit Kumar, learned Solicitor General of India that there was a meeting with the three software companies, namely, Google India, Yahoo ! India and Microsoft Corporation (I) Pvt. Ltd. and, prior to the meeting, the companies were asked to respond to the following questions:-

(2.) The respondents-Companies have submitted their replies to the Union of India, which have been brought by way of a chart as Annexure M1/4 to the affidavit filed by the said Ministry. We have already reproduced the questions posed by the Union of India. As we find from the chart, all the respondents have agreed to follow the law of this country and not to allow any advertisement or publish any content on their respective search engines.

(3.) Mr. Ranjit Kumar, learned Solicitor General has pointed out to the responses to the questions (a) to (g) in seriatim as submitted by the three Companies. We think it appropriate to reproduce the responses. They read thus:-