Overview

• The Supreme Court overturned the Delhi High Court's directive requiring Wikipedia to remove content related to ANI's defamation case, citing disproportionate interference with media freedom.
• The court emphasized that any takedown order must meet strict tests of necessity and proportionality to address real and substantial risks to justice or trial fairness.
• Judicial proceedings, even when sub judice, can be publicly discussed and reported, with restrictions allowed only when narrowly tailored and justified by necessity.
• ANI retains the option to approach the Delhi High Court again for interim relief by specifying objectionable content in its defamation suit.
• The ruling reaffirms intermediary safe-harbour protections for platforms like Wikipedia, highlighting that user-generated content does not make the platform automatically liable.