India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has quietly but decisively expanded its digital surveillance net. Over a 20-month period, the ministry issued 91 takedown notices to social media platform X (owned by Elon Musk, formerly known as Twitter), asking for the removal of more than 1,100 online links flagged for content ranging from election-related misinformation to alleged national security threats. The details, reported by The Indian Express, shed light on how the government has been using its Sahyog cybercrime portal to monitor, flag and demand action against what it considers harmful online activity.
The Sahyog portal was launched in March 2024 as a centralised digital mechanism for law enforcement agencies to coordinate action on cybercrime and problematic online content. Between March 20, 2024, and November 7, 2025, it became the primary channel through which the ministry sent its takedown requests to X.
Public Order Tops the List of Violations
A significant portion of the flagged content was linked to concerns over public order. According to the report, the most frequently cited offence was “disturbing public order,” which alone accounted for around 566 URLs. Another 124 links were flagged for content that allegedly targeted political leaders and public figures.
The data points to a broader government focus on preventing online material that could potentially incite unrest, spread misleading narratives or damage the reputation of high-profile individuals.
Election Period Triggered the Biggest Surge
The volume of takedown requests peaked sharply during the April-May 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign. During this window, 761 URLs were flagged in a series of notices sent to the platform. Nine of these notices, covering 198 URLs, specifically invoked provisions of the Representation of the People’s Act.
One of the most extensive notices, dated May 13, 2024, listed 115 URLs and described the material as “ spreading misinformation with the intention to influence the ongoing election electoral process.” This period saw a heightened focus on election-related content, especially videos and posts suspected to have been manipulated or taken out of context.
Operation Sindoor and High-Profile Names Under Scanner
The takedown activity was not limited to election season. In 2025, around the time of Operation Sindoor, the ministry again stepped up its scrutiny. The report notes that nine notices sought the removal of 21 URLs that allegedly contained manipulated content involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Two of these were linked to digitally altered visuals that also referenced industrialist Gautam Adani.
Six more notices directed X to remove 91 URLs over allegedly altered content featuring Union Minister Amit Shah. Separately, three notices in April 2025 flagged 73 URLs promoting betting platforms, including those connected to the Mahadev app.
Only one notice, dated December 17, 2024, specifically identified child abuse material, covering posts from 16 accounts. Five notices involving 56 URLs cited threats to India’s “integrity, sovereignty and security.” After the Pahalgam terror attack, a notice dated April 28, 2025, invoked Section 13 of the UAPA to flag content alleged to be spreading threatening messages capable of triggering unrest.
Legal Pushback and Court Challenge
The takedown mechanism itself is now under legal scrutiny. X Corp has approached the Karnataka High Court, challenging the Sahyog-linked process. According to PTI, the company has argued that authorities are relying on Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and related rules instead of the Section 69A framework, which contains procedural safeguards. It has also referred to the Supreme Court’s Shreya Singhal vs Union of India (2015) ruling.
X informed the court that it received 29,118 government takedown requests between January and June 2025 and complied with 26,641 of them, translating to a 91.49% compliance rate. It also maintained that Section 79 is meant as a “safe harbour” provision for intermediaries and not as an alternate route for content blocking.
As court proceedings continue, the data highlights how digital governance, political discourse and national security concerns are increasingly colliding in India’s online space.
