Delhi High Court Issues 7-Day Order in Sunil Gavaskar’s Personality Rights Case
The Delhi High Court has issued a significant order in a case related to the protection of personality rights, following a petition filed by legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. The court has directed social media platforms and online intermediaries to take necessary action within seven days on complaints related to the unauthorised use of Gavaskar’s name, voice, image, or identity.
The order was passed by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who stated that anything associated with Sunil Gavaskar—whether his photograph, voice clips, name, or personality—cannot be used for commercial or promotional purposes without his clear consent. The direction mainly applies to social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and other digital platforms where such misuse has allegedly taken place.
What Did the Court Direct?
The High Court instructed Sunil Gavaskar’s legal team to first approach social media intermediaries with specific complaints. The court also directed these platforms to treat Gavaskar’s lawsuit as a formal complaint under the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021, which include guidelines for social media intermediaries and the Digital Media Ethics Code.
According to the court order, social media platforms must review the complaints and take appropriate action within seven days. If any platform objects to a particular web link or content flagged by Gavaskar, it must inform him clearly. The court further asked Gavaskar to submit proof of instances where his name, image, or voice was used without permission to gain profit or promote products online.
Why Did Sunil Gavaskar Move the High Court?
Sunil Gavaskar approached the Delhi High Court to stop the unauthorised commercial use of his identity by social media platforms and e-commerce websites. His petition seeks protection of his personality and publicity rights, which allow individuals—especially public figures—to control how their identity is used and to benefit financially from its authorised use.
Under personality rights, no one can legally use a person’s name, picture, voice, or identity for advertising or commercial gain without consent.
Growing List of Celebrities Seeking Protection
Gavaskar’s case adds to a growing list of celebrities who have approached courts to safeguard their personality rights. Earlier, actor Jackie Shroff moved the court in May, alleging misuse of his images and videos to sell products. In 2023, the Delhi High Court protected Anil Kapoor’s image, voice, and his famous catchphrase “Jhakaas.” Veteran actor Amitabh Bachchan was granted similar protection in 2022.
Several other film personalities including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar, Kumar Sanu, and Nagarjuna have also received interim relief from the court. Salman Khan and Junior NTR have filed similar petitions.
Why This Case Matters
This case is expected to set an important legal precedent for celebrity privacy and publicity rights in the digital era. The next hearing may determine whether the court issues immediate interim relief, further strengthening protections against online misuse of personal identity.
