Supreme Court stays High Court cases involving challenge to Centre's Sahyog portal

The Supreme Court recently stayed proceedings in four cases pending before High Courts involving legal challenges to the Central government's Sahyog portal, a mechanism used to route online content takedown notices to internet intermediaries [Union of India Vs Digipub News].

A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana passed the order on July 22 on transfer petitions filed by the Central government.

The Centre has sought the transfer of four cases pending before the Karnataka and Bombay High Courts to the Supreme Court.

The top court has issued notice on the transfer petitions, returnable on August 10.

"Meanwhile, following proceedings before the High Court(s) shall remain stayed," the Court ordered.

The Supreme Court stayed proceedings in four cases, namely:

- X Corp v. Union of India & Ors and DigiPub News India Foundation v. Union of India, pending before the Karnataka High Court; and

- Kunal Kamra v. Union of India and Haresh Jagtiani v. Union of India & Ors, pending before the Bombay High Court.

The disputes concern the legality of the Sahyog portal and the government's power to seek removal or disabling of online content under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000 read with Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules.

The controversy initially reached the Karnataka High Court through a petition filed by Elon Musk-owned X Corp.

In September 2025, Justice M Nagaprasanna dismissed X Corp's challenge to the Sahyog portal. X then filed an appeal against this single-judge ruling, which is currently pending before a Division Bench of the High Court.

X has argued that Section 79(3)(b) does not empower government officers to independently issue information blocking orders. According to the company, such orders can only be issued under Section 69A of the IT Act after following the safeguards prescribed under the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.

DigiPub News India Foundation has also filed an appeal against the single-judge decision, which too is pending before the High Court’s Division Bench. 

Meanwhile, stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra and Senior Advocate Haresh Jagtiani separately approached the Bombay High Court in February 2026 challenging the Sahyog portal and Rule 3(1)(d).

Their pleas contended that the mechanism enables government authorities to have online content taken down without the procedural safeguards applicable to blocking orders under Section 69A of the IT Act.

The Central government has now approached the Supreme Court seeking transfer of all four proceedings to the apex court.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the Centre assisted by Advocates Madhulika Upadhyay, Arun Kumar Singh, Sushma Verma, Rajat Nair and Gaurang Bhushan.

[Read Order]