Delhi High Court Considers Action Against ISPs in Jaya Bachchan Case

The Delhi High Court is considering punitive action against internet service providers (ISPs) that have failed to block the misuse of actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan's name in distributing objectionable content. On August 19, the court directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to examine the possibility of de-registering non-compliant ISPs.

Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the ISPs were not complying with a previous order to block the offending material, which remained accessible online months later. Bachchan's counsel informed the court that the webpages had not been blocked despite an interim order issued in November 2025.

MeitY and DoT confirmed in court that the ISPs had not enforced the blocking directives. Justice Singh expressed concern over this non-compliance, suggesting de-registration as a potential deterrent for others. The court emphasized that the continued presence of explicit content bearing Bachchan's name was the primary concern.

MeitY and DoT have been tasked with exploring further measures to ensure ISP compliance, including the possibility of de-registration, and reporting their findings to the court. This case is part of a broader trend where the Delhi High Court is addressing personality rights disputes involving public figures, including the Bachchan family, concerning the unauthorized use of their name and image, including AI-generated content.