Not a single Section 69A blocking order issued by the government since 2009 has been revoked by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) Review Committee, reveals an RTI response filed by investigative journalist Saurav Das published by BOOM. Neither MeitY nor the Committee’s Chair keeps records on the Committee’s work, another RTI by Das reveals. The Review Committee is in charge of assessing the validity of past blocking orders issued under Section 69A of the Information and Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act). Constituted under Rule 419A of the Indian Telegraph Rules, 1951, it is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, and comprises two other members, the Secretaries for the Departments of Legal Affairs and Telecommunications. It meets at least once every two months and ‘if it thinks that directions are not in accordance with Section 69A, it may issue orders that…
