Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the legality of the Sahyog Portal and recent amendments to India’s Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2025, which govern online content takedowns. Kamra’s petition contends that both the portal and the amended rules violate constitutional safeguards and exceed the powers granted under the IT Act.
In his petition, Kamra argued that the Sahyog Portal, an online platform used by government authorities to request the takedown or blocking of content on social media allows unilateral removal of online material without essential procedural safeguards. He emphasised that this bypasses the protections under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, which requires prior notice, an opportunity for the affected party to be heard, and a reasoned order before any content can be blocked.
Kamra’s plea further asserts that the 2025 amendments, particularly Rule 3(1)(d), empower central and state government officers to issue content-blocking directions on a large scale without checks, thereby violating the principles of natural justice and infringing on the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a). He described the new framework as creating a parallel mechanism outside the established legal process, which could lead to arbitrary or preemptive content takedowns and have a chilling effect on free speech.
The Bombay High Court has yet to set a date for a full hearing on the matter. Kamra’s petition has sparked wider discussion about digital governance, regulatory overreach, and the protection of online expression in India’s evolving internet landscape.
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