SC agrees to examine validity of Information Technology Rules

The Supreme Court today agreed to to examine the validity of Information Technology Rules making it mandatory for a website owner to screen content and exercise online censorship of the contents posted on the portal.
A bench of justices T S Thakur and S J Mukhopadhaya issued the notice to the Centre and all the states on a PIL filed by a company Mouthshut.Com(India) Pvt, which runs a portal mouthshut.Com, challenging Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011.
The company pleaded with the apex court that the rules be declared as illegal, null and void as they are ultravires of the Constitution.

"It is submitted that the impugned Rules impose significant burden on it forcing it to screen content and exercise online censorship which in turn impacts the freedom of speech and expression of its customers thereby risking a loss of its large consumer base or incurring legal costs and facing criminal action for third party user-generated content," the petitioner said.