AFTER blocking access to dozens of Pakistani websites and YouTube channels that did not conform with its jingoistic view of the rising tensions with its neighbour, New Delhi blocked access to a domestic news website, known for its independent editorial policy.

The website of The Wire became inaccessible across much of the country on Friday, The Independent reported.

While officials have not issued any public order or statement, internet service providers told The Wire their site had been blocked following directions from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the publication said in a statement.

It said it would challenge the action in court and the move amounted to “a clear violation of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press”.

In another instance, the X handle of Maktoob Media, another Indian news website, was also withheld.

Lawyer and Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) director Apar Gupta told The Independent the government’s move to block The Wire was not accompanied by a transparent legal order and appears consistent with a broader pattern of digital censorship.

“The restriction on access to The Wire’s website does not emerge from any clear legal order, as it is not being disclosed and there is no public statement which exists on record,” Mr Gupta told The Independent.

“That matches a pattern of web censorship through the IT Rules 2021, where directions for blocking content are not transparently disclosed — either to the public or even to the impacted parties.”

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2025