Can someone please explain how the Karnataka High Court can order New Delhi (nat'l gov't) to ban a website? I'm not doubting their authority to issue the command, rather I am confused how a regional high court can issue a national ban. Does this ban only apply in the state of Karnataka?
That’s not how the law works in India. Any ruling by an Indian court on matters applicable to the entire country will apply to the entire country. There’s only one Supreme Court in India, and it cannot (and in many cases will not) handle all the cases relevant to national interest.
Late reply: yes, if someone wishes to challenge a High Court order, they’d typically appeal in the Supreme Court. There are avenues for “review petitions”, but those don’t work well. The backlog of cases across all the courts is really huge.
