Kamra claimed that these tools “unlawfully” empower Central and state government officials “to peremptorily issue takedown or blocking orders without following the procedure mandated under the Information Technology Act”
Comedian Kunal Kmara. File Pic
Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the government’s ‘Sahyog’ portal, saying it was an attack on freedom of speech.
In his plea, Kamra termed it as an “unconstitutional and unreasonable” attack on freedom of speech for enabling officials to order takedowns of social media content, reported news agency PTI.
In the petition filed on Wednesday, Kamra has mainly contested the amended IT Rules of October 2025, as well as the Sahyog portal.
He claimed that these tools “unlawfully” empower Central and state government officials “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 agencies under the Information Technology 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 a single platform to ensure immediate action against unlawful online content.
Rule 3(1)(d) enables vague and arbitrary takedowns, Kamra tells HC
“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, filed through advocate Meenaz Kakalia, stated, reported PTI.
The plea emphasised that such powers “amount to an unconstitutional and unreasonable restriction on the freedom of speech”.
Kamra further claimed that these powers “go beyond the constitutionally permissible grounds that have been exhaustively enumerated under Article 19(2) of the Constitution”.
“These new mechanisms render all information on the internet vulnerable to arbitrary takedowns, providing for no remedy against such action,” the petition stated, reported PTI.
Kamra asserted that the portal effectively gives thousands of government officers at the Centre and in the states unchecked powers.
The petition is likely to be heard in the coming days.
Maharashtra council panel summons Kunal Kamra over remarks against Deputy CM Eknath Shinde
Earlier this week, the Maharashtra legislative council's privileges committee summoned Kamra and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare for a hearing over their alleged insulting remarks against Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
BJP MLC Prasad Lad, who is the chairperson of the privileges committee, while talking to the media on Wednesday, said that the notice was issued to Kamra and Andhare 15 days ago, as per PTI.
Prasad Lal also added that Kamra and Andhare have been asked to appear before the committee for a hearing at 2 pm on Thursday, January 5.
The BJP MLC emphasised, "If they fail to turn up after two summons, the committee will decide on action against them."
Earlier in March 2025, Kunal Kamra posted his video 'Naya Bharat', in which he sang a parody of Bholi Si Surat, a popular song from the Bollywood movie Dil To Pagal Hai. With this parody song, he allegedly targeted Shinde, leading to multiple FIRs against him.
(With PTI inputs)
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