Kathmandu: In a recent development, an additional writ petition was submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday, contesting the government’s decision to ban the popular video-sharing app, TikTok.
Advocate Jagannath Dulal lodged this latest petition, marking the eleventh challenge to the ban. Previously, ten writ petitions had been filed at the apex court, all seeking the annulment of the controversial prohibition.
The petitions collectively argue that the government’s decision to ban TikTok infringes upon citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by the constitution.
In a notable move, the new writ petition calls for the revocation of correspondence from the Nepal Telecommunication Authority to internet service providers, asserting that the TikTok ban violates the right to information.
The petition emphasizes the platform’s significance as a source of information for many citizens.
Highlighting the economic aspect, the petition contends that the intellectual property of content creators on TikTok is valued in millions of rupees.
It further claims that the closure of TikTok infringes upon the property rights of these creators.
Moreover, the writ petition urges the government to establish a comprehensive legal framework for the regulation of digital platforms.
If necessary, it calls for a directive order to initiate the drafting of legislation in line with the Constitution of Nepal, international norms, and established practices.
While the hearing for the initial ten writ petitions, scheduled for Monday, did not take place before the single bench of Justice Kumar Chudal, the hearing for the latest writ petition is set for Tuesday.
The legal battle over the TikTok ban continues to unfold at the highest court in the land.