As per a report by MediaNama, the Kerala High Court directed the respondents to file an affidavit within four weeks, "for the time being limited to the issue of a decision to block the open-source messaging application Bitchat," while "keeping the issue of maintainability open." The petition, filed by the Kerala-based Appropriate Technology Promotion Society with the involvement of SFLC.in, argues that the block "violates the rights to equality and freedom of speech and expression, as well as the principles of natural justice, procedural fairness and proportionality," and seeks disclosure of the blocking order and its quashing. It also challenges the procedure followed under the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009. MediaNama lists the Ministries of Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting and Electronics and Information Technology, Apple (India) and Google (India) among the respondents.

SFLC.in says BitChat was removed from Apple's App Store and Google Play in India in early October and that its website became inaccessible on several internet service providers. It says the block was ordered by MeitY under Section 69A of the IT Act, that no blocking order is publicly available, and that the developers learned of it through Apple's notice. SFLC.in also says the block immediately followed an internet shutdown imposed on October 2 during a protest at Jantar Mantar; that is its own characterisation of the timing.