India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is drafting amendments to the country's IT Rules that would significantly expand the authority of the Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) to block online speech. Experts at a MediaNama forum warned that the proposed changes could turn the IDC into a "judge, jury, and executioner" over online content decisions, without the transparency and accountability mechanisms that safeguard free expression.
The government has not officially clarified the IDC's operational scope under the new rules, leading to varying legal interpretations. Critics argue that the ambiguity could enable arbitrary censorship. On the other hand, proponents say a faster content-review body could help India respond more effectively to genuinely harmful misinformation and deepfake content.
The draft rules are still under discussion, but the implications for online speech and digital rights are significant. Stakeholders urge the government to provide clear guidelines and ensure due process.