UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — SC seeks balance; govt. says IT Rules do not curb satire

Q1. How many separate writ petitions challenging Rule 3(1)(b)(v) of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 were heard together by the Bombay High Court in Kunal Kamra v. Union of India (2024)?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Four
  • D. Five

Q2. In the context of the IT Act, 2000, the term 'safe harbour' as used in challenges to the IT Amendment Rules, 2023, most accurately refers to:

  • A. A constitutional shield available to digital publishers under Article 19(1)(a) against state regulation
  • B. Statutory immunity granted to intermediaries under Section 79 from liability for third-party user content, subject to due-diligence conditions
  • C. A geographically delineated zone where Indian data localisation norms are relaxed for foreign platforms
  • D. A tax holiday extended by MeitY to social-media start-ups registered as intermediaries

Q3. The three-judge Supreme Court Bench that, in March 2026, took up the Union Government's appeal against the Bombay High Court's ruling striking down the Fact Check Unit provision of the IT Amendment Rules, 2023, was headed by:

  • A. Chief Justice of India Surya Kant
  • B. Justice R. Mahadevan
  • C. Justice Joymalya Bagchi
  • D. Justice B.R. Gavai

Q4. With reference to the proceedings before the Supreme Court in 2026 in the Union Government's appeal against the Bombay High Court ruling on the IT Amendment Rules, 2023, consider the following entities: 1. Kunal Kamra 2. Editors Guild of India 3. Association of Indian Magazines 4. Internet Freedom Foundation Which of the above is/are correctly identified as a writ petitioner in the underlying Bombay High Court proceedings whose response was sought by the Supreme Court?

  1. Kunal Kamra
  2. Editors Guild of India
  3. Association of Indian Magazines
  4. Internet Freedom Foundation
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4