<h1>Amendment to Rule 3(1)(d) IT Rules 2021: Senior officials must issue intermediary removal notices with legal basis and exact URL</h1> The government amended Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, 2021 to require that notices to intermediaries for removal of 'unlawful information' be issued only by senior authorised officials (joint secretary level or equivalent; DIG or above for police), specify legal basis, nature of the unlawful act and exact URL/identifier, and be routed through a single authorised agency officer where applicable. Such intimations will undergo monthly review by an officer not below secretary rank to ensure necessity, proportionality and legal consistency. The changes aim to enhance transparency, accountability, procedural safeguards and clearer guidance to intermediaries while seeking to balance regulatory enforcement with constitutional rights.