Guwahati, Aug. 8 -- The Supreme Court has stayed proceedings pending before two High Courts challenging the constitutional validity of the Sahyog Portal and provisions of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, relating to government powers to seek the blocking or removal of online content.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana passed the order while hearing transfer petitions filed by the Union government seeking to bring the cases before the Supreme Court for a consolidated hearing.

The proceedings involve four separate cases. Two were filed before the Karnataka High Court by X Corp and the DigiPub News Foundation, while c...