New Delhi | May 29: The Delhi High Court on Thursday declined to grant immediate interim relief to the controversial satirical collective “Cockroach Janta Party” in its plea seeking restoration of its blocked account on social media platform X.

The petition was filed by the group’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, who challenged the suspension and blocking of the collective’s X handle, arguing that the action violated freedom of expression and lacked transparency.

During the hearing, the High Court observed that no interim order for immediate unblocking could be passed without first hearing responses from both the Central Government and X. The bench stated that principles of natural justice required all concerned parties to present their stand before any temporary relief could be considered.

The court subsequently issued notices to the Union Government and X, seeking their replies on the matter. It also directed the review committee under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to examine the blocking action and place its findings on record.

According to the plea, the satirical collective’s account was allegedly blocked without adequate notice or a detailed explanation. The petitioners contended that the handle primarily posted political satire, commentary, and parody content aimed at public discourse.

Legal representatives for the petitioner argued that blocking the account had severely affected the group’s ability to communicate with its audience and raised broader concerns regarding online censorship and digital free speech in India.

The court, however, refrained from making any observations on the merits of the allegations at this stage and clarified that the issue would be examined after receiving detailed submissions from all parties involved.

The matter has drawn attention across legal and digital rights circles, especially amid ongoing debates surrounding content regulation, intermediary responsibilities, and freedom of speech on social media platforms.