Delhi HC Directs Centre to Unblock ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ X Account

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered the Union Government to restore the X (formerly Twitter) account of the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ (CJP). The court ruled that the Centre’s primary justification for suspending the profile—concerns surrounding the recently concluded NEET examination—is no longer valid.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma approved the petition filed by Abhijeet Dipke, who challenged the government’s blocking order and demanded the immediate unblocking of the political parody account.

The Court’s Rationale

During the hearing, Justice Sharma observed that the Centre anchored its entire argument for the ban on apprehensions related to the NEET exam’s smooth conduct.

Because the examination process is now officially over, the judge noted that the government’s foundational concern had ceased to exist, clearing the path for the account’s immediate restoration.

Legal Background and Arguments

The Union Government had strongly opposed the petition, defending its blocking action by citing risks tied to the account’s online activities leading up to the exam.

• Targeting Posts vs. The Account: Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal, representing Dipke, argued that authorities should have restricted specific objectionable posts rather than executing a blanket ban on the entire account.
• Demand for Transparency: Sibal also pushed the government to produce the official blocking order in court, pointing out that judges have favored restoring overall account access in similar past social media disputes.
• Previous Rulings: Before Tuesday’s decisive verdict, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav heard the case. He had initially denied Dipke interim relief. Instead, Justice Kaurav ordered the statutory Review Committee—operating under the IT Rules of 2009—to evaluate the petitioner’s grievances and directed the Centre to submit a formal response.

Ultimately, Justice Sharma’s ruling overrides the prior stalemate, ensuring the Cockroach Janta Party reclaims its platform now that the NEET-related concerns have expired.