Following a joint public meeting of six press bodies at the Press Club of India (PCI), a resolution was passed opposing the recent and proposed changes to India’s digital regulations – specifically the draft IT Amendment Rules of 2026 – and outlining eight demands to protect digital creators, ensure due process, and uphold press freedom.
Attending this joint meeting on Saturday were members of the PCI, DIGIPUB, the Editors’ Guild of India, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Network of Women in Media, and the Delhi Union of Journalists.
As Nikhil Pahwa, founder and editor of Medianama, noted in his post on X, this resolution lasered in on the “infrastructure of censorship” built by the Centre.
Press Club of India pushes back against the Infrastructure for Censorship that @AshwiniVaishnaw and @SecretaryMEITY have created:
— Nikhil Pahwa (@nixxin) April 11, 2026
Pushing back against 69A, 79A, Rule 16 of IT Rules 2009, the 3 hour takedown deadline, Sahyog Portal. pic.twitter.com/dSKzG1xqAC
One, the resolution sought the withdrawal of the draft IT Rules 2026 “in totality”, noting that the compliance framework for it is “financially terminal” for “independent creators and freelancers who operate solo podcasts, newsletters or have YouTube channels”
Moreover, it remarked that these rules will also have a “chilling effect” on creators who “may self-censor to avoid any risk of algorithmic misidentification.”
On Friday, a PCI delegation visited the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY) to submit its comments and suggestions on the draft amendments to the IT Rules 2026. You can also read more about what these draft rules mean for creators and journalists here.
The Press Club of India Managing Committee visited the Ministry of Electronic and Information Technology (MeitY) on April 10 to submit its comments and suggestions to the Secretary, MeiTy, on the draft amendments to the IT Rules 2021 — Information Technology (Intermediary… pic.twitter.com/JZblXFf5yi
— Press Club of India (@PCITweets) April 11, 2026
Two, members of these press bodies have vowed to “intensify” their demand for the “withdrawal of these amendments” by canvassing support from MPs and “all other stakeholders”.
Three, the resolution demanded that the Centre “must strictly follow the procedural safeguards laid down under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act, 2000), before issuing blocking/takedown orders.” It cited the landmark Shreya Singhal Vs Union of India case, in which the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of Section 69A and “underlined the need to adhere to these procedural safeguards,” including issuing written, reasoned blocking orders, while firmly denying the legality of arbitrary blocking orders.
Four, the resolution demanded that the Centre “must withdraw all delegated powers under Section 69A of the Act, 2000, to various agencies, which have completely steamrolled the procedural safeguards under the said section.”
Five, the resolution sought the withdrawal of the February 2026 amendment to the IT Rules, 2021, which drastically compressed the content takedown timeline for intermediaries from 36 hours to just three hours. The statement characterises such executive mandates as bordering on contempt of the Supreme Court, specifically citing the Shreya Singhal vs Union of India judgment, which sought to protect “safe harbour” provisions under Section 79 of the IT Act.
Six, the resolution stated that the Centre “ must withdraw Rule 16 of the Information Technology Rules, 2009, which enables blocking of speech without accountability.”
Seven, the resolution called for the immediate halt to the Sahyog portal’s “draconian operation,” alleging that it operates without legislative sanction and violates the procedural safeguards of Section 79A.
Finally, it noted in no uncertain terms that the Centre must consult all stakeholders, including journalist bodies, before drafting legislation that curtails press freedom, “rather than seeking consultation post facto.”
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