Govt rebukes X’s lawsuit, calls censorship claims ‘baseless’

New Delhi: The Central government has sharply criticised Elon Musk’s lawsuit against its Sahyog portal, arguing that the platform has been misrepresented as a “censorship portal.” According to court documents reviewed by Reuters, officials dismissed X’s claims as “baseless.”

“The use of the said terminology by a worldwide portal like X is unfortunate and condemnable,” the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stated in a March 27 filing. It maintained that the Sahyog portal is a compliance tool, not a censorship mechanism.

X, formerly known as Twitter, had filed a lawsuit in the Karnataka High Court on March 5, challenging the legality of the government’s content removal process. The social media giant alleged that the Sahyog portal enables officials to order content takedowns without judicial oversight, expanding India’s censorship reach.

The dispute revolves around India’s Information Technology Act, which regulates digital content moderation. Traditionally, content takedowns followed Section 69A, requiring a review by MeitY before any blocking orders were issued. However, X contends that the government is increasingly using Section 79(3)(b), which, it claims, allows authorities to demand removals without the same level of scrutiny.

Legal experts say the case could have far-reaching consequences. “If the court rules in favour of X, it could set a precedent limiting the government’s ability to regulate online content without judicial oversight,” said a senior technology lawyer familiar with the case.

Meanwhile, X is facing additional regulatory challenges in India. Its AI chatbot, Grok, has come under scrutiny for allegedly generating inflammatory content. Reports suggest that officials from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are reviewing Grok’s responses for potential violations of India’s IT laws.

The lawsuit also comes at a time when Musk’s companies, Tesla and Starlink, are eyeing expansion in India. Starlink has already secured partnerships with two Indian firms to introduce satellite internet services, while Tesla is renewing its push to enter the market.

Musk previously met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US, where they discussed collaborations in artificial intelligence, space, and innovation. The Karnataka High Court is scheduled to hear X’s petition on April 3.