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Centre Proposes Decentralizing Section 69(A) Powers to MHA, MEA, Defence, I&B Ministries

Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains MediumStatic GK Link
17 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:Section 69(A) of IT ActSection 79(3)(b) of IT ActBlocking timeline: 2-3 hours
Bodies:Ministry of Electronics and ITMinistry of Home AffairsMinistry of External AffairsMinistry of DefenceMinistry of Information and BroadcastingSEBI
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.Govt plans to amend IT Act to allow MHA, MEA, Defence, I&B Ministries to issue content blocking orders under Section 69(A).

2.This aims to reduce bottlenecks at MeitY and expedite takedowns, with blocking timelines recently reduced from 24-36 hours to 2-3 hours.

3.Examiners can target the specific ministries empowered, the legal sections (69A, 79(3)(b)), and the procedural shift from centralized to decentralized blocking.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

The government is considering amendments to the IT Act, 2000, to decentralize the power to issue content blocking orders under Section 69(A). Currently held only by the IT Ministry, this power would be extended to the Ministries of Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence, and Information & Broadcasting to speed up action against AI-generated misleading content.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Current Blocking AuthorityMinistry of Electronics and IT (MeitY)
Proposed Additional MinistriesHome Affairs, External Affairs, Defence, Information & Broadcasting
Key Legal ProvisionSection 69(A) of IT Act, 2000
New Blocking Timeline2-3 hours (reduced from 24-36 hours)
Other Blocking PortalSahyog portal under Section 79(3)(b)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Current Blocking Authority: Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY)
  • ›Proposed Additional Ministries: Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence, Information & Broadcasting
  • ›Target this Data: Blocking timeline reduced from 24-36 hours to 2-3 hours.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) is the current final authority for Section 69(A) orders.
  • ›Target this Legal Point: Section 69(A) of IT Act, 2000, and IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking) Rules, 2009.

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

As per the current framework, which ministry is the final signing authority for issuing content blocking orders under Section 69(A) of the IT Act?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding content blocking mechanisms in India:

1. Under Section 69(A) of the IT Act, various ministries have nodal officers who send flagged content to the IT Ministry for final orders.

2. The Sahyog portal operates under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and allows multiple ministries to directly issue blocking orders.

3. The government recently amended the law to reduce the blocking timeline for intermediaries from 2-3 hours to 24-36 hours.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the news, to what duration has the government recently reduced the blocking timeline for intermediaries?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary rationale cited by the government for decentralizing the power to issue blocking orders under Section 69(A) of the IT Act?

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