Kerala High Court seeks Centre, State response on blocking NoCap news portal's Facebook page

KanoonHQ Legal Gazette · AI-generated brief from the source linked below. How briefs are made

Published 26 October 2026

Case: NoCap News v. Union of India
Court: High Court of Kerala
Source: Bar & Bench

Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)

The Kerala High Court, in NoCap News v. Union of India, sought responses from the Central and State governments regarding the blocking of the Facebook page of the news portal 'NoCap'. The court issued notice on the petition challenging the blocking order.

Ratio Decidendi · Legal Principle Established

The court's action reflects a preliminary stage in examining potential infringements on freedom of speech and expression when a news portal's social media presence is blocked by government authorities.

Practice & Procedural Impact for Advocates

Advocates challenging government blocking orders on social media platforms should be prepared to argue on the necessity and proportionality of such actions. Litigants seeking to unblock content must demonstrate the lack of valid grounds for the restriction.

Key Legal Takeaways

1Courts will examine government actions blocking news portals on social media.
2The Central and State governments are required to provide reasons for such blocking.
3The case involves potential issues of freedom of speech and expression.

The Legal Issue The Kerala High Court has sought information from the Central and State governments concerning the blocking of the Facebook page belonging to the news portal 'NoCap'. The petition was filed by the news portal challenging the order that led to the blocking of its social media presence.

Court's Reasoning The court issued notice to the Union of India and the State government, requiring them to file their responses. This indicates that the court intends to hear arguments from both sides to understand the grounds on which the blocking order was issued and to assess its legality. The court's action is a procedural step to gather necessary information before making a substantive decision on the matter.

What Follows The Central and State governments are now required to submit their detailed responses to the Kerala High Court, explaining the reasons and legal basis for blocking the Facebook page of 'NoCap' news portal. The case will proceed after these responses are filed and considered by the court.