Overview

• The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on May 13 for Sanjay Sharma's plea to overturn the ban on his YouTube channel, 4PM.
• The channel, known for investigative journalism and boasting 7.3 million subscribers, was blocked following a confidential government directive citing national security and public order.
• Sharma's petition argues that the blocking violated constitutional rights to free speech and due process, as no notice or hearing was provided.
• The plea seeks to quash Rule 16 of the 2009 IT Blocking Rules, which enforces confidentiality, and amend Rule 9 to mandate transparency and fair hearings.
• The case highlights tensions between press freedom and government claims of national security in India's digital regulatory framework.