Copyright © 2026 Authors retain the copyright of this article. This article is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

@article{194680,
        author = {Poorvi Sood and Manas},
        title = {Impact of Digital Censorship on Freedom of Political Expression},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {10},
        pages = {4884-4902},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=194680},
        abstract = {In modern nations, the internet has emerged as a crucial medium for democratic involvement, civic engagement, and political discourse. Restrictions on internet access present major issues for democratic accountability and freedom of expression as political conversation increasingly moves to digital platforms. This study looks at internet shutdowns in India as a type of digital censorship and evaluates how they affect the freedom of political expression protected by both international human rights legislation and the Indian Constitution. The Indian Telegraph Act of 1885, the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules of 2017, and further legislative developments are all examined in this article as part of the legal framework governing internet shutdowns in India
The Supreme Court's ruling in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India, which acknowledged internet access as essential to the exercise of freedom of speech and expression and subjected shutdowns to the tests of legality, necessity, proportionality, and temporariness, is particularly examined. Using a doctrinal and socio-legal approach, the paper demonstrates how internet shutdowns frequently result in disproportionate limitations on political communication, despite being justified on the grounds of public safety and order. Such policies restrict information availability, impede political mobilization, and have a chilling effect on civic engagement.},
        keywords = {},
        month = {March},
        }