NEW DELHI TIGHTENS ITS GRIP ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS AS ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS GAIN MOMENTUM

October 9, 2026

The Union government has advised major social media platforms to act swiftly against allegedly unlawful online content, raising fresh questions about digital regulation as protests demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar continue to gather momentum.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has expressed concern over the circulation of information related to the ongoing protests that it considers false, misleading, manipulated or presented out of context. According to officials familiar with the advisory, such material could disturb public order, undermine social tranquillity and potentially incite violence.

The ministry has asked major social media companies to identify the allegedly unlawful content and prioritise action on complaints received from authorised government agencies. Platforms have also been advised to label synthetically generated material, particularly content presented as depicting ongoing events, to help prevent misleading representations from spreading online.

The advisory further calls for timely cooperation with law enforcement agencies and other authorised government bodies, including the provision of information and assistance within the timelines prescribed under the Information Technology Rules, 2021.

The development comes amid protests organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over allegations of large-scale deletion of genuine voters from electoral rolls. The party has announced a demonstration at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on October 10.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has alleged that social media accounts associated with party members were being restricted ahead of the protest at the government’s request. He has also claimed that volunteers travelling to Delhi were detained in BJP-ruled states and that supporters had been picked up by police. These allegations have formed part of the party’s broader accusations of an attempt to suppress dissent.

The government’s advisory places renewed attention on the responsibilities of social media platforms in addressing misinformation and digitally manipulated content during politically sensitive events. At the same time, the timing has intensified the debate over how authorities balance the prevention of unlawful online activity with the protection of political expression and peaceful protest.

With the planned October 10 demonstration approaching, the relationship between government regulation, social media moderation and the right to dissent is likely to remain a major point of contention.