Centre Empowers SEBI To Order Takedown Of Online Content Under IT Act

The Central Government has authorised the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to issue directions for the removal or disabling of online content under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The Ministry of Finance issued a notification published in the Official Gazette on 8 December 2025, designating SEBI as the agency empowered to act under Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 and Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act.

With this authorisation, SEBI can direct online intermediaries including social media platforms, websites and digital media publishers to take down unlawful or harmful content that violates Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act, which relates to investor protection and the regulation and development of the securities market.

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