Karnataka HC Upholds Centre’s Authority, Rejects Elon Musk’s X Corp Petition Against Sahyog Portal

Bengaluru, September 2 (TNA) The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed by Elon Musk’s social media platform X Corp, challenging the authority of government officials to issue information blocking orders under the Information Technology Act. The company had contested the central government’s directive mandating social media platforms to join the Sahyog portal, which facilitates streamlined communication of content takedown orders.

Justice M Nagaprassana, in his verdict, emphasised the necessity of regulating social media in India, stating that freedom of speech under the Constitution is subject to reasonable restrictions to safeguard public interest and dignity, especially in cases involving offences against women. The court noted that the regulation of communication and information dissemination has always been an accepted norm globally and locally, and that American judicial perspectives cannot be directly applied to Indian constitutional law.

Rejecting X Corp’s plea that Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act did not empower the government to issue such orders outside the procedure in Section 69A, the court upheld the government’s position that the Sahyog portal is an administrative mechanism designed to ensure due diligence and protect national security and public order. The ruling marks a significant setback for X Corp and reinforces the Indian government’s authority to regulate online content and enforce compliance from social media intermediaries operating in the country.