YouTube Channel Unblocking Plea Heard by Supreme Court
Government petitioned for response concerning challenge to the suppression of YouTube channel '4 PM'
In an intriguing turn of events, the Supreme Court of India, on May 6, 2025, took notice of a petition filed by journalist Sanjay Sharma who runs the YouTube channel '4 PM.' The channel has been blockaded, and the matter is set to be heard on May 13, 2025, before Justices B.R. Gavai and A.G. Masih[1][4].
Initially, Sanjay Sharma had asked for interim relief, but the court declined, stating it preferred to hear from all parties involved[1][5]. The petition argues that the blocking order infringes upon statutory and constitutional safeguards by failing to provide the order or the original complaint. It calls into question Rules 8, 9, and 16 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, claiming these rules to be unconstitutional[1][5].
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Sanjay Sharma, states that neither was he notified about the blocking order, nor was the reasoning behind it provided to him. He argues the unawareness is detrimental, and ex-facie the order appears unconstitutional2. "The whole channel is blocked, and no reason is provided," Sibal pointed out, adding that the only information he has comes from the intermediary2.
The petition also seeks to quash Rule 16 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009. Rule 16 imposes strict confidentiality regarding all requests and complaints received and actions taken thereof, a condition that the petition claims is problematic[3].
The trial continues, and the nation waits to see whether the YouTube channel '4 PM' will be unblocked or if it remains unavailable, leaving many viewers without the content they were accessing. Stay tuned for more updates, as this story unfolds, week by week.
[1][5]: News18
[3]: The Hindu[4]: India Today[5]: Live Law
The Supreme Court is set to evaluate arguments challenging the constitutionality of Rules 8, 9, and 16 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, in relation to the unblocking of Sanjay Sharma's YouTube channel, '4 PM'. In the broader context, this case also underscores the significance of DEFI, FINANCE, TECHNOLOGY, and GENERAL-NEWS, as these sectors intersect with issues of freedom of speech and online content regulation in the digital era.
