The Madras High Court on Thursday refused to direct the authorities concerned to ban all online and offline video games that were allegedly tampering with school children.
The bench said there is no doubt that children and youth these days have become accustomed to their phones and laptops and their world seems to revolve around these devices but courts cannot pass any such restraining order at present.
A bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Banerjee and Justice Senthil Kumar Ramamurthy, while disposing of a PIL by advocate E Martin Jayakumar, said it was a policy matter which would have to be looked into by the governments either in the state or at the Centre.
The bench said that there is no doubt that when there is any illegal action or something which is prejudicial to the larger public interest, the constitutional courts intervene. However, in the present kind of cases, especially when there are elected governments, such matters of policy should be left to the discretion of those representing the people and those holding the mandate, rather than issuing decrees by a court. It is only if the executive fails to act, that the court should take action considering the matter as a threat to the society.
The bench directed the petitioner to send the application within four weeks to the Center through the Ministry of Women and Child Development and to the State Government through a department deemed most appropriate by the petitioner. Madras High Court the bench said that the concerned authorities should give due consideration to the matter and thereafter convey its stand to the petitioner within eight weeks.
Also Read: MODERNA INCLUDED IN WHO LIST WILL NOT BE TESTED IN INDIA
