The Delhi High Court directed Google to de-index judgments, orders, and related news reporting from name-based search results globally, following 31 petitions asserting the right to be forgotten. The ruling also requires Indian Kanoon to restrict name-based search functionality for the petitioners’ records, allowing access only via case number, citation, court details, or date, according to medianama.com.
Justice Sachin Datta J. delivered the combined judgment, instructing Google and other search engines to comply with Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. This rule mandates intermediaries to remove content upon court orders or government notices. The court emphasized that de-indexing must occur globally across all domains and versions of the search engine to effectively protect petitioners’ fundamental rights.
The ruling marks a significant development in India's digital privacy and data protection landscape, reinforcing the right to be forgotten in the context of judicial records. By requiring Indian Kanoon to limit name-based searches, the court balances public access to legal information with individual privacy rights. This decision aligns with global trends where courts have increasingly scrutinized search engine indexing practices to safeguard personal data.
The Delhi High Court’s order is accessible in full via medianama.com, which also hosts the official court documents. The judgment sets a precedent for future cases involving digital content de-indexing and intermediary liability under India’s IT Rules.