The Madras High Court on Wednesday, November 11, directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of Tamil Nadu to reply within two weeks to a public interest litigation seeking a Police Standing Order or circular prescribing uniform, lawful safeguards for police stations, cybercrime units and investigating officers dealing with complaints relating to social media posts, political criticism, satire and online speech, Live Law reported. A Division Bench of Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan issued notice to the DGP in the plea filed by Chennai-based advocate H. Syed Alim (H. Syed Alim v. The Director General of Police, WP No. 44784 of 2026).

Source: Live Law

During the hearing, Additional Public Prosecutor Arun Anbumani informed the court that the State government was in the process of formulating a standard operating procedure (SOP) in this regard, and that two similar petitions were pending before a single judge, ANI reported. He told the bench that many aspects had to be considered while issuing the SOP, and the court directed him to file a reply to the present plea detailing those aspects.

Source: ANI via Daily Prabhat

The petitioner contends that criminal cases are being registered mechanically against citizens, journalists, political commentators, activists and social media users over criticism, satire, political opinion and dissent expressed online, without police first verifying the locus of the complainant or examining the legal maintainability of the complaint, LawChakra reported. The plea argues that such action is arbitrary and violates Articles 14 and 21 and the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), while seeking a uniform procedure of careful scrutiny before coercive action, without removing the police duty to register and investigate cognisable offences. Live Law reported that the petition pointed to recent cases registered over remarks made during public speech, including those involving DMK MLA G.V. Markandayan and others named in the plea.

Source: LawChakra

Wednesday's directions were procedural: the court has issued notice and sought the State's reply, and has not ruled on the merits of the plea or ordered any safeguards at this stage. What happens next depends on the DGP's reply, due within two weeks, and on the SOP the State says it is already preparing.