On 8 October, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued an advisory to the country’s major social‑media platforms, demanding that they curb the spread of unlawful content tied to protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
The SIR, an exercise aimed at updating voter lists, has sparked nationwide demonstrations, with opposition parties and civil‑society groups converging on Delhi’s Connaught Place and chanting demands for greater transparency.
MeitY’s notice lists four concrete directives: identify and block content that defies the IT Rules, prioritize complaints from authorised agencies, label synthetic or manipulated material, and cooperate with law enforcement, including supplying data within statutory timelines.
The ministry warned that unchecked misinformation could inflame public order, destabilise social harmony and risk violence. Platforms now face an uphill task of balancing free speech with legal compliance, with an implementation window extending to the end of October.
The advisory comes as lawmakers debate tightening digital‑content regulations, and commentators warn that the move could set a precedent for future content‑moderation mandates.
Analysts note that the directive may pressure platforms to revamp their algorithmic filters and increase human moderation teams, an undertaking that could cost billions in staff and infrastructure.