The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the plea filed by Facebook India Vice President and MD Ajit Mohan challenging the summons issued by Delhi Assembly's Peace and Harmony committee for failing to appear before it as witness in a matter relating to the north-east Delhi riots last year.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Dinesh Maheshwari and Hrishikesh Roy termed Mohan's plea as pre-mature and said nothing has happened against him before Delhi Assembly's panel.

The verdict came on plea filed by Mohan, Facebook India Online Services Pvt Ltd and Facebook Inc who contended that the committee lacks power to summon or hold petitioners in breach of its privileges for failing to appear and it was exceeding its Constitutional limits.

They have challenged last year's September 10 and 18 notices issued by the committee that sought Mohan's presence before the panel which is probing the Delhi riots and Facebook's role in spread of the alleged hate speeches.

According to an NDTV report, the apex court while passing the verdict underlined that te Delhi Assembly committee has the “right to seek information on any matter related to peace and harmony without encroaching (the) domain of the central laws.”

During the hearing it also NDTV mentioned that the court observed, “Social media platforms have the power and potential to influence people across the border. Debates on these platforms, like Facebook, have the potential to polarise the society and less informed individuals may not verify the information and take it as gospel of truth.”