Bombay High Court Quashes Amended IT Rules for Fact Checking

The Bombay High Court ruled against amended IT rules aimed at identifying 'fake and false' content about the government on social media platforms. The court found the regulations unconstitutional as they infringe on free speech and equality rights. The decision was delivered by Justice A S Chandurkar.

The Bombay High Court on Friday struck down amended Information Technology rules designed to identify and flag 'fake and false' content concerning the government on social media, deeming them unconstitutional.

The court noted that the vague and broad nature of the rules could infringe on individuals' rights to free speech and equality. Justice A S Chandurkar delivered the ruling, acting as a 'tie-breaker' after a previous split decision by a division bench.

The controversial rules had provided for creating a Fact-Checking Unit (FCU) to flag misleading online content about the government. The court agreed with petitioners, including stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and the Editors Guild of India, that the rules would have a chilling effect on fundamental rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)