Kunal Kamra moves Bombay HC against Sahyog portal, calls it attack on free speech

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the government’s ‘Sahyog’ portal and the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules , terming them unconstitutional and an assault on freedom of speech.

In his petition, Kamra has questioned the legality of the Sahyog portal, which allows authorised central and state government officials to issue takedown or blocking orders to social media intermediaries. He has argued that the portal, introduced following amendments to the IT Rules in October 2025, enables officials to remove online content without following the procedure prescribed under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

According to the plea, the portal empowers thousands of government officers to order takedowns on vague and undefined grounds, without providing content creators or users any opportunity to be heard or any effective remedy against such action. Kamra contended that this unchecked authority renders all online speech vulnerable to arbitrary censorship.

The comedian has also challenged Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, stating that it goes beyond the constitutionally permissible restrictions on free speech laid down under Article 19(2) of the Constitution. The petition claimed that the rule and the Sahyog mechanism impose unreasonable restrictions that are neither transparent nor accountable.

The government has defended the Sahyog portal, stating that it was developed to automate the process of issuing notices to intermediaries for swift removal of unlawful online information and to bring all authorised agencies and platforms under a single framework.

However, Kamra argued that speed and automation cannot come at the cost of constitutional safeguards, warning that such measures create a chilling effect on free expression, criticism, and satire in the digital space.

The petition is likely to be heard by the Bombay High Court in the coming days.