Now, PTI and NBA challenge new IT Rules 2021, move court

Press Trust of India (PTI) and the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) have joined the increasing chorus of news organisations that are challenging the new IT Rules 2021.

PTI has move the Delhi High Court against the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, calling the Rules an attempt by the Centre to regulate digital news media. It has challenged the constitutional validity of the rules.

As per media reports, PTI emphasised in its plea that the IT Rules would “usher in an era of surveillance and fear”. According to a report by The Hindu, the news agency maintained that the new IT Rules enabled the government to “virtually dictate content to digital news portals, and squarely violate media freedom”.

Meanwhile, NBA has moved the Kerala High Court on the new IT Rules 2021, challenging its constitutional validity. The Association emphasised that the new IT Rules 2021 give unbridled excessive powers to government to curtail media’s freedom of speech.

In a statement issued, the NBA said, “The grievance redressal mechanism created, and the powers delegated have a ‘chilling effect’ on the content of the media. The writ (petition) also states that the executive by creating such a structure, has made inroads into judicial power and vested itself with powers reserved exclusively for the judiciary and such exercise of power is without jurisdiction.”

Several online news publishers across the country have taken legal recourse, challenging the new IT Rules 2021, including, Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA), Quint Digital Media, The Wire, ALT News, The News Minute, The Leaflet, Live Law, among others.