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ARTICLE AD BOX
On Thursday, the stand-up comedian argued that an ordinary policeman ordering the takedown of content because s/he thinks it was ‘objectionable’ is the ‘worse situation’.
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra (HT)(HT_PRINT)Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra told the Bombay High Court (HC), during the hearing of his plea challenging the Constitutional validity of the “Sahyog Portal” and the 2025 amendment to Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, that there is a worse situation wherein an ordinary policeman orders takedown of content, which s/he thinks is “objectionable,” reported Live Law.
Kunal Kamra has in February 2026 moved the high court, challenging the government's ‘Sahyog Portal’. He alleged that the portal is “unconstitutional and unreasonable” assault on freedom of speech, as it allows officials to take down social media content.
On Thursday, the stand-up comedian argued that an ordinary policeman ordering the takedown of content because s/he thinks it was “objectionable” is the “worse situation”.
In February, the comedian in his petition challenged the IT rules, which were amended in October 2025, along with the Sahyog portal.
He argued that these tools "unlawfully" grant Central and state government officials the power “to peremptorily issue 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 notices to intermediaries by the appropriate government or its agency under the IT Act, 2000, to facilitate the removal or disabling of access to any information, data or communication link being used to commit an unlawful act.
The portal aims to bring together all authorised agencies and intermediaries on one platform to ensure immediate action against the unlawful online information.
"Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules and the Sahyog Portal are also ex facie unconstitutional, as they enable the blocking or takedown of information on internet platforms on wholly vague grounds," the petition. Kunal Kamra's pettion was filed through advocate Meenaz Kakalia.
Kunal Kamra's plea emphasised that such powers “amount to an unconstitutional and unreasonable restriction on the freedom of speech”.
The comedian claimed that such powers “go beyond the constitutionally permissible grounds that have been exhaustively enumerated under Article 19(2) of the Constitution.”
The petition stated that these new mechanisma render all information on the internet “vulnerable to arbitrary takedowns, providing for no remedy against such action.”
Kunal Kamra asserted that it effectively gives thousands of government officers at the Centre and states power that is left unchecked.
What is Sahyog Portal
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), ‘Sahyog’ Portal has been developed to automate the process of sending notices to intermediaries by the Appropriate Government or its agency under IT Act to facilitate the removal or disabling of access to any information, data or communication link being used to commit an unlawful act.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Livemint
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