Kunal Kamra Takes Legal Action Against Sahyog Portal Over Free Speech

He had alleged that these tools “illegally” empower Central and state government officials “to issue outright takedown or blocking orders without following the procedure mandated under the Information Technology Act”.

According to the government, Sahyog was developed to automate the process of sending notifications to intermediaries by the appropriate government or its agency under the IT Act, 2000, with the aim of facilitating the removal or disabling of access to any information, data or communication link used to carry out an illegal act.

The portal aims to bring together all authorized institutions and intermediaries on a single platform in order to take immediate action against illegal online information.

“Section 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules and Sahyog Portal is also ex facie unconstitutional as it enables the blocking or removal of information on internet platforms on completely unclear grounds,” the petition filed through lawyer Meenaz Kakalia said.

The defense emphasized that such powers “mean an unconstitutional and unreasonable restriction on freedom of expression.”

The comedian claimed that such powers “go beyond the constitutionally permissible grounds comprehensively enumerated in Article 19(2) of the Constitution.”

These new mechanisms make all information on the internet “vulnerable to arbitrary takedown and provide no redress against such action,” the petition said.

Kamra maintained that thousands of government officials at the Center have effectively been empowered and the power left unchecked has been given to the state.

The petition is expected to be discussed in the coming days.