(with inputs from Torsha Sarkar and Sarvjeet Singh) The Indian government blocked access to 59 Chinese apps by exercising Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. MediaNama spoke to Torsha Sarkar, policy officer at the Centre for Internet and Society, and Sarvjeet Singh, director at the Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University, Delhi, to understand how a Section 69A blocking order comes into existence. Under this Section, the government has the right to block public access to any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource “in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above”. These are the same as the ones under Article 19(2) with the exception of “decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence”. Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 Power to issue directions for blocking for public access of any information through any computer resource. (1) Where the Central Government or any of its officer specially authorised by it in this behalf is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above, it…
