HC denies priority to plea seeking ban on AI chatbot DeepSeek

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, declined an urgent hearing on a plea seeking a ban on DeepSeek, an AI chatbot developed by Chinese entities, in India.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela stated that the public interest litigation (PIL) lacked urgency and did not warrant priority. When the petitioner’s counsel argued that the issue was sensitive, the court responded that if the platform was harmful, the petitioner could simply refrain from using it. The judges noted that similar platforms had long existed in India and saw no justification for an expedited hearing.

Rejecting the application, the court remarked that while many things were accessible online, individuals were not obligated to use them. The petitioner's counsel had requested an earlier hearing date, moving it from April 16, citing time constraints in the previous session. The court had earlier given the Centre’s counsel time to gather instructions on the matter.

Petitioner Bhavna Sharma, a lawyer, argued that the plea aimed to safeguard citizens' personal data and government systems from cyber threats and breaches. The petition highlighted security vulnerabilities discovered in DeepSeek within a month of its launch, allegedly leading to large-scale leaks of sensitive information, including chat history and backend data.