Don’t take free speech curbs too far: Rethink the proposed amendments to India’s internet rules

But it is the proposed addition of a new sub-Rule (4) to Rule 3 that in many ways is the most disappointing. This new provision seeks to legally elevate clarifications, advisories, orders, directions, standard operating procedures, codes of practice and guidelines to the level of rules and regulations (the only forms of subordinate legislation that the executive branch is constitutionally permitted to enact).