What was the need for new IT rules, Bombay HC asks Centre

The Bombay High Court on Friday asked the Union government what was the need to introduce the recently notified Information Technology Rules, 2021 without superseding the existing IT Rules that came into effect in 2009.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni reserved its order on two petitions pleas seeking an interim stay on the implementation of the new Rules.

The pleas, filed by digital legal news portal Leaflet and journalist Nikhil Wagle, raised objections to several provisions in the new Rules and said these were likely to have a “chilling effect” on a citizen’s right to free speech as guaranteed by the Constitution.