Soibal Gupta v. Prime Ministers Office & Anr.

Delhi High Court · 04 Mar 2021 · 2021:DHC:842-DB
D. N. Patel; Jasmeet Singh
LPA 58/2021
2021:DHC:842-DB
administrative appeal_dismissed

AI Summary

The Delhi High Court dismissed the appeal against the dismissal of a writ petition challenging unsolicited government emails, holding that the petitioner must use the available unsubscribe mechanism rather than seek judicial intervention.

Full Text
Translation output
LPA 58/2021
HIGH COURT OF DELHI
Date of Decision: 4th March, 2021
LPA 58/2021
SOIBAL GUPTA ..... Appellant
Through: Appellant in person
VERSUS
PRIME MINISTERS OFFICE & ANR. ..... Respondents
Through: Mr. Chetan Sharma, ASG with Mr.Kirtiman Singh, CGSC with Mr. Amit Gupta, Mr. Vinay Yadav, Mr.Akshay Gadeock, Mr. Sahaj Garg & Mr. R. Venkat Prabhat, Advs. for UOI
CORAM:
HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASMEET SINGH
JUDGMENT
D.N. PATEL, CHIEF JUSTICE (ORAL)
C.M.No.5371/2021 (exemptions)
Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.
The application is disposed of.
LPA 58/2021 & CM APPL. 5372/2021 (permission to argue in person)

1. This appeal has been preferred against the judgment and order dated 12th January, 2021 (Annexure A-1 to the memo of this appeal) passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.(C) 400/2021 which was dismissed. 2021:DHC:842-DB

2. The prayer in the writ petition reads as under: “a. Issue a writ in the nature of quo warranto asking the Respondents under what provision of law did they subscribe my email ID to the newsletters without my consent and where did they get my email ID from? b. Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the Respondents to pay a symbolic compensation of ₹100 each and tender an apology for harvesting my email ID to send unsolicited emails. c. Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the Respondents to unsubscribe all the email IDs whose owners have not given their consent to receive the newsletters. d. Pass such other or further orders as may deem fit and proper.”

3. The aforesaid writ petition has been decided by the learned Single Judge vide judgment and order dated 12th January, 2021, particularly paras 2, 3, 4 and 5 read as under: “2. The short grievance of the Petitioner is that he is receiving unsolicited e-mails from various authorities of the Government including the NTA, the PMO and other agencies, in respect of various schemes floated by the Government.

3. Mr. Sharma, ld. ASG submits that the Petitioner can unsubscribe from the e-mail. He also submits that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (hereinafter, ‘MEITY’) has created an e-mail ID, being sampark.support@gov.in, in order to ensure that those persons who do not wish to receive such e-mails can unsubscribe.

4. Accordingly, the present petition is disposed of directing the Petitioner to write to sampark.support@gov.in in order to ensure that no further unsolicited e-mails are received by him. Upon the said e-mail being sent, the Respondents shall ensure that no unsolicited e-mails are sent to the Petitioner.

5. With these observations, the present petition is disposed of. All pending applications are also disposed of.

4. In view of the facts of the present case and arguments pressed before the learned Single Judge that he was receiving unsolicited e-mails from various authorities of the Government in respect of various schemes floated by the Government, it appears that this appellant is annoyed by receiving such unsolicited e-mails.

5. At this juncture, a submission has been made by learned Additional Solicitor General that a simple mechanism to stop receiving unsolicited emails from various Government authorities is to “unsubscribe” from those mails.

6. Learned Single Judge in paras 3, 4 and 5 of the order dated 12th January, 2021 has appreciated the aforesaid submission. We are in agreement with the reasons given by the learned Single Judge vide judgment and order dated 12th January, 2021 passed in W.P.(C) 400/2021. The simple mechanism available with this appellant (original petitioner) to unsubscribe e-mails which can be done by this appellant. Hence, no error has been committed by the learned Single Judge in deciding W.P.(C) 400/2021 and hence there is no substance in this appeal and the same is therefore dismissed. Pending application also stands disposed of.

CHIEF JUSTICE JASMEET SINGH, J MARCH 4, 2021 ns