WASHINGTON, June 7 (Reuters) - The Federal

Communications Commission on Friday asked the U.S. 6th Circuit

Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio to transfer a series of

industry legal challenges to its decision to reinstate landmark

net neutrality rules to a federal court in Washington.

Net neutrality rules require internet service providers

(ISPs) to treat internet data and users equally rather than

restricting access, slowing speeds or blocking content for

certain users. The rules also forbid special arrangements in

which ISPs give improved network speeds or access to favored

users.

The 6th Circuit was randomly selected after legal challenges

were filed in seven circuit courts. The FCC asked that the case

be transferred to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the

District of Columbia.

"It would be most efficient, and in the interest of justice"

the commission said, adding the D.C. Circuit "has repeatedly

engaged with the FCC concerning the lawful contours" of the FCC

open-internet rules in a series of court decisions.

The FCC

voted in April along party lines

to reassume regulatory oversight of broadband internet and

reinstate open internet rules adopted in 2015 that were

rescinded under then-President

Donald Trump

.

The rules will bar internet service providers from

blocking or slowing down traffic to certain websites, or

engaging in paid prioritization of lawful content, as well as

give the FCC new tools to crack down on

Chinese telecom companies

and the ability to monitor internet service outages.

Separately, the FCC on Friday rejected a request by industry

groups representing AT&T ( T ), Comcast ( CMCSA ), Verizon

and others to halt its order from taking effect on July 22. The

agency said that "would risk hindering the commission's ability

to pursue other policy obligations and objectives that will

benefit consumers, particularly those related to national

security and public safety."

The FCC also said the industry groups had not shown they

would suffer irreparable harm if the net neutrality order takes

effect, saying they had not offered "any concrete evidence."

Reinstating net neutrality has been a priority for

President Joe Biden

, who signed a July 2021 executive order encouraging the FCC

to reinstate the rules adopted in 2015 under President Barack

Obama, a fellow Democrat.

Under Trump, the FCC had argued net neutrality rules

were unnecessary, blocked innovation and resulted in a decline

in network investment by internet service providers, a

contention disputed by Democrats.