Media Nama: New Delhi: Wednesday, 25 March 2026.
MediaNama has filed a
Right to Information Act, 2005 (RTI Act) application with the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), seeking to know whether MeitY
communicated to platforms that they should prepare for Synthetically Generated
Information (SGI) labelling compliance before it notified the final rules. We
have covered the rules here, here, and here.
At a closed-door meeting on February 25, 2026, IT Secretary S. Krishnan told platforms that since MeitY released the draft rules in October 2025, they should have begun implementing product changes themselves thereafter, as the government’s intent had been made clear. (Source: The Tech Trace, Edition 22, March 2026)
What is the problem: The MeitY released the draft Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules (IT Amendment Rules) on October 22, 2025, and notified the final rules on February 10, 2026. No public records show MeitY sent any communication to companies during this period, instructing them to begin preparing for SGI labelling compliance.
What we asked: MediaNama filed an RTI Act application with the Central Public Information Officer of MeitY, asking:
Provide copies of all emails, letters, or any other written communication MeitY sent to any company, intermediary, or industry association between October 22, 2025, and February 10, 2026, indicating that they should prepare for SGI labelling compliance
Clarify whether MeitY consulted the Ministry of Law and Justice (MoLJ) on the legality of the SGI labelling provisions
Provide copies of all emails that any stakeholder sent to MeitY regarding SGI labelling obligations, excluding those marked confidential.
Why this matters: SGI labelling obligations apply to all intermediaries in India and directly affect how platforms handle AI-generated content. Krishnan’s statement at the February 25 meeting raises questions about whether MeitY communicated with companies during the draft period. MeitY’s response to this RTI will put that on record.
At a closed-door meeting on February 25, 2026, IT Secretary S. Krishnan told platforms that since MeitY released the draft rules in October 2025, they should have begun implementing product changes themselves thereafter, as the government’s intent had been made clear. (Source: The Tech Trace, Edition 22, March 2026)
What is the problem: The MeitY released the draft Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules (IT Amendment Rules) on October 22, 2025, and notified the final rules on February 10, 2026. No public records show MeitY sent any communication to companies during this period, instructing them to begin preparing for SGI labelling compliance.
What we asked: MediaNama filed an RTI Act application with the Central Public Information Officer of MeitY, asking:
Provide copies of all emails, letters, or any other written communication MeitY sent to any company, intermediary, or industry association between October 22, 2025, and February 10, 2026, indicating that they should prepare for SGI labelling compliance
Clarify whether MeitY consulted the Ministry of Law and Justice (MoLJ) on the legality of the SGI labelling provisions
Provide copies of all emails that any stakeholder sent to MeitY regarding SGI labelling obligations, excluding those marked confidential.
Why this matters: SGI labelling obligations apply to all intermediaries in India and directly affect how platforms handle AI-generated content. Krishnan’s statement at the February 25 meeting raises questions about whether MeitY communicated with companies during the draft period. MeitY’s response to this RTI will put that on record.
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