I4C confirmed it holds no operational records for the Sahyog Portal, the centralized hub for Section 79 takedown notices used by 94 intermediaries. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre claims its role is merely "facilitation," shifting responsibility for data on notices and actions taken. This stance creates a critical accountability gap for tech platforms and enforcement agencies in resolving content takedowns.
How We Got Here
The Sahyog Portal launched to streamline disparate takedown notices under Section 79, following Karnataka High Court upholding its validity as a facilitation tool. Its legal standing remains contested, however, with the Supreme Court staying all previous High Court judgments after X's challenge.
The Numbers
- I4C, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, explicitly stated its role "is limited to facilitation" and it "does not control such detailed operational data."
- Solicitor General Tushar Mehta previously echoed this, calling Sahyog a "mere facilitation portal" before the Karnataka High Court.
- The portal currently has at least 94 intermediaries onboarded for centralizing takedown notices issued by various agencies.
- MediaNama's RTI sought records on child sexual abuse material (CSAM) reporting, prompted by a BBC investigation published in July 2026.
- I4C cited Section 8(1)(a) of the RTI Act as grounds for refusal, claiming disclosure could impede investigation or affect state sovereignty.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For content moderation teams in Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Pune, the I4C's denial creates ambiguity, leaving them without a single source of truth for Section 79 compliance and notice validity.
The Take
The government wants the operational convenience of a central portal without the associated data governance or accountability burden. This effectively pushes the liability for takedown notice management squarely onto intermediaries.
Source:
MediaNama ↗