Internet censorship in India: an RTI application

[Given below is the text of an RTI application I filed today.]

Mr HC Jayal,
Joint Secretary, Administration,
Department of Telecom,
Ministry of Communication and Information Technology,
Sanchar Bhavan, 20 Ashoka Road, New Delhi 110001.
Subject: Detailed information required about on Internet censorship under the RTI Act

Dear Sir,

Under the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005, you are requested to kindly provide the following information:

1) Which websites are currently blocked in India? Kindly list the addresses of all the websites.

2) For which websites have till date orders been issued for unblocking after it was once blocked?

3) Is there a policy of notifying the public, via the media or through other means, as and when a certain website is blocked?

4) The Department of Telecom (LR Cell) had on 11 June 2004 issued directions to ISPs to block the website www.hotfoon.com. It is understood that the blocking of websites is undertaken as per the provisions of the Department of Information Technology’s Gazette Notification GSR 529 (E) dated 7 July 2003.

(a) Which of the authorities listed under section V (1) of the Gazette Notification GSR 529 (E) had requested the blocking of www.hotfoon.com? Kindly provide a copy of the relevant correspondence.
(b) Why was www.hotfoon.com blocked?
(c) Is the Department of Telecom aware that at the moment www.hotfoon.com is accessible from connections of many ISPs?
(d) Has the blocking of www.hotfoon.com been revoked at any point?

5) On 29 June 2006, the Department of Telecom (LR Cell) had issued directions to Internet Service Providers to block the website www.geocities.com/cpimlpwg. Which of the authorities listed under section V (1) of the Department’s Gazette Notification GSR 529 (E) dated 7 July 2003 had requested the blocking of www.geocities.com/cpimlpwg? Kindly provide a copy of the relevant correspondence with that authority.

6) On 31 July 2006, the Department issued a notification to ISPs saying that www.geocities.com/cpimlpwg was deleted from their servers by M/s Yahoo! Inc.

(a) Kindly provide copies of the correspondence with M/s Yahoo! Inc.

(b) Considering that asking the web-hosting provider to remove websites is not mandated under the Gazette Notification GSR 529 (E) dated 7 July 2003 or the IT Act, 2000, under what specific legal provision was M/s Yahoo! Inc. asked to remove www.geocities.com/cpimlpwg?

(c) Which other websites have been removed by which hosting providers on the request of the Department of Telecom or other departments in the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology? Kindly provide copies of the relevant correspondence.

7) On 29 June 2006, the Department of Telecom (LR Cell) had issued directions to Internet Service Providers to block the website www.sex.in. Which of the authorities listed under section V (1) of the Department’s Gazette Notification GSR 529 (E) dated 7 July 2003 had requested the blocking of www.sex.in? Kindly provide a copy of the relevant correspondence with that authority.

8) On 16 July 2004, the Department of Telecom (LR Cell) had issued directions to Internet Service Providers to block the website www.hinduunity.org. Which of the authorities listed under section V (1) of the Department’s Gazette Notification GSR 529 (E) dated 7 July 2003 had requested the blocking of www.hinduunity.org? Kindly provide a copy of the relevant correspondence with that authority.
9) On 13 July 2006, the Department of Telecom (LR Cell) had issued directions to Internet Service Providers to block www.hinduunity.org apart from 16 other websites. However, www.hinduunity.org had already been blocked under the order dated 16 July 2004. What was the logic in asking to block an already blocked website? Has the Department of Telecom ever asked ISPs to revoke the blocking of www.hinduunity.org?
10) In the 13 July 2006 order, the Department of Telecom (LR Cell) had issued directions to Internet Service Providers to block 16 websites other than www.hinduunity.org. These are:

1. http://mypetjawa.mu.nu
2. http://pajamaeditors.blogspot.com
3. http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com
4. http://thepiratescove.us
5. http://commonfolkcommonsense.blogspot.com
6. http://bamapachyderm.com
7. http://princesskimberley.blogspot.com
8. http://merrimusings.typepad.com
9. http://mackers-world.com
10. www.dalistan.org
11. www.hinduhumanrights.org/hindufocus.html
12. http://www.nndh.com
13. http://bloodroyaltriped.com
14. http://imagessearchyahoo.com
15. http://www.imamali8.com
16. http://www.rahulyadav.com

Which of the authorities listed under section V (1) of the Department’s Gazette Notification GSR 529 (E) dated 7 July 2003 had requested the blocking of each of these websites? Kindly provide a copy of the relevant correspondence with that authority for all of these 16 websites.

Looking forward to a prompt response.

(signed)

Shivam Vij

[Address for correspondence]