Indian court issues notice to NIXI over domain suspension

India's High Court has issued a notice to the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) concerning its suspension of the website domain chalosansad.in. The domain, which documented protests against the NEET-UG exam paper leak, was taken offline three days after its registration without prior notice.

The High Court has requested NIXI to file its response in the case, where the domain owner, Sriram Viswanathan, is challenging the suspension. The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) is supporting Viswanathan's petition. The domain was registered on July 19, 2026, and suspended on July 22, 2026, without prior notice, hearing, or written order.

The website provided information about the "Chalo Sansad" march in New Delhi on July 20. Every factual statement on the page was linked to a published source, and the site contained no advertisements, collected no user data, or sold any products. NIXI initially cited invalid WHOIS details as the reason but later cited the use of "critical keywords" and the application of the "Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950."

The case raises questions about NIXI's domain registration policies and its authority to suspend registered .IN domains. The court's decision could clarify the limits of the registry operator's powers and the procedural safeguards available to domain owners.