The news agency has challenged parts of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which seek to supervise the regulation of digital news media publishers. The petition, however, stated that it is challenging the Rules only concerned with news publishers and not OTT platforms or intermediaries. Nikhil Narendran, partner at Trilegal called this "excessive", reported Forbes India and said it is a “symptom of the government trying to exert excessive control over free speech itself”. “Given the unconstitutional nature of the Rules, we decided that we would challenge them straightaway," Wasim Beg, partner at L&L Partners that is representing PTI, told Forbes India. “If the parent act has not defined digital media, the delegated legislation can’t look to govern it,” Forbes India quoted Beg as saying.

Source: Hindustan Times July 07, 2021 17:26 UTC