Supreme Court to Review Controversial IT Rules Struck Down by Bombay High Court

The Supreme Court is set to review a Bombay High Court verdict that declared the 2023 IT Rules, aimed at regulating social media content, unconstitutional. The rules were intended to manage misinformation but faced criticism for their vague definitions and potential chilling effects on free speech.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday announced its decision to review the Centre's plea against the Bombay High Court's ruling, which invalidated the 2023 amendments to the Information Technology Rules. These amendments focused on monitoring and regulating fake content on social media targeting the government.

Despite the Supreme Court's agreement to examine the case, it rejected a stay on the High Court's 2024 decision to nullify the IT Rules, labeling them as unconstitutional. The court has issued notices to the original petitioners, including stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and the Editors Guild of India.

The controversial rules aimed to empower a Fact-Check Unit to identify misinformation regarding government business on social media. Concerns were raised about these rules' vague terms and their potential to suppress free speech, leading the Bombay High Court to declare them unconstitutional.

(With inputs from agencies.)