Digital news portal The Leaflet told the Bombay High Court on Thursday that the new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 were an "assault on the fundamental right of freedom of speech".

The portal last week filed petition in the high court, challenging the new IT Rules as being violative of Articles 14 (right to equality), 19 (a) (freedom of speech and expression) and 19 (1) (g) (freedom to practice any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business).