The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has once again extended the deadline for public comments on its proposed IT‑rules amendments, now pushing the cut‑off to May 7, 2026, from April 29. This follows growing public and industry opposition to changes that would treat influencers and non‑publisher users who post “news and current affairs” content as quasi‑publishers, subject to takedown notices, pre‑emptive blocks, and mandatory compliance with government advisories.

MeitY had already shifted the date from April 14 to April 29 after receiving strong pushback from civil society, digital rights groups, and platforms, prompting a special meeting with intermediaries and activists. The fresh extension suggests the government is buying more time to calibrate the rules amid fears that the amendments could expand executive control over user‑generated news content and incentivise over‑blocking by platforms.