J&K District Magistrate orders two-month curbs on fake news and provocative content, including reaction videos

 Access a copy of the DM order here: (PDF)

The District Magistrate of Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir has issued an order restricting the publication and circulation of provocative statements and fake news, covering journalists, editors, correspondents, digital news portals, social media pages and content creators, among others. The order also directs the District Information Officer to compile an inventory of digital news outlets and their owners and editors. The order will remain in force in Kishtwar district for two months.

“No person(s) shall knowingly employ reaction videos, counter-videos, edited audiovisual material or personalised commentaries as a means of threatening, intimidating, inciting or provoking another individual or group in a manner having a demonstrable likelihood of disturbing public tranquillity. Mere disagreement, criticism, satire or expression of an unpopular opinion shall not, by itself, constitute a violation of this direction.” 

What the order says:

The order dated November 3 was issued under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which empowers the authorities to issue orders in “urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger.” 

The order cites an October 8, 2026, communication from Kishtwar’s Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP). According to the order, the SSP reported that individuals and social media channels were creating and circulating fake, misleading and unverified information. It also refers to “reaction videos”, counterstatements and personalised allegations that turn individual disputes into public confrontations.

The District Magistrate stated that immediate preventive action was necessary and that giving prior notice would defeat the order’s purpose. He therefore issued the order ex parte under Section 163(2) of the BNSS.

According to the order, the restrictions are:

• No person shall knowingly create or circulate false or manipulated content if they intend or know it is likely to cause public alarm, incite violence, promote enmity or disturb public tranquillity.
• No individual, group, administrator or content creator shall use social media for incitement, intimidation or personal vilification.
• People shall not publish fabricated allegations, distorted narratives, manipulated clips, misleading captions or sensationalised content on sensitive incidents, communal relations or law-and-order situations.
• Owners and administrators of digital news portals and social media pages shall exercise due diligence and not knowingly facilitate prohibited content. They shall also follow the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, “wherever applicable”.
• No person shall knowingly use reaction videos, counter-videos or edited material to threaten, intimidate or provoke another person or group, in a way that is demonstrably likely to disturb public tranquillity.
• Everyone shall exercise due diligence before forwarding information received through electronic communication networks.

No immunity for journalists, but some carve-outs

The order states that no one can claim immunity from the law by describing themselves as a journalist, reporter, social media influencer or digital content creator. It also refers to “self-styled digital media operators”.

At the same time, the order says the district administration does not intend to impede legitimate journalism, investigative reporting, constructive criticism or lawful dissent. The order clarifies that disagreement, criticism, satire or an unpopular opinion does not, by itself, constitute a violation.

“The District Administration Kishtwar has no intention whatsoever to impede legitimate journalistic endeavours, investigative reporting, constructive criticism or the lawful expression of dissent. Nevertheless, the constitutional protection afforded to freedom of expression cannot be invoked as a protective cover for conduct which, on the facts and circumstances of an individual case, transgresses the bounds of law and imperils public tranquillity.”

Order seeks inventory of digital news outlets, verification of content sources: 

The order directs the SSP to enforce it, identify prima facie violations, preserve electronic evidence and start preventive or penal proceedings. It also tells police to examine the original source and circumstances of publication before any coercive action.

The District Information Officer (DIO), Kishtwar, will act as nodal officer for digital news and media matters. The DIO must give the District Magistrate a “verified inventory” of online news portals, digital news channels and social media news pages operating in or reporting from Kishtwar. The inventory must identify owners, publishers, editors, administrators and contact persons. It must also record compliance with applicable laws and rules, wherever this can be ascertained.

A few instances of speech, VPN and internet restrictions in J&K: 

On April 17, District Magistrates in Jammu, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar issued 60-day orders under Section 163 of the BNSS. According to MediaNama’s reporting, those orders barred content that could promote enmity or spread rumours, made group administrators jointly responsible for compliance and directed police to register FIRs. IFF called them “carte blanche prohibitory censorship”. The Kishtwar order from April is available online.

In December 2025, authorities suspended VPN services for two months in districts including Rajouri and Poonch. In January 2026, police in Kulgam checked people’s phones in public for VPN apps. According to DD News, nine people were booked for using VPNs.

In May 2025, the Home Department suspended mobile internet on 74 towers in Bhaderwah, Doda, citing public order. SFLC.in’s tracker recorded 443 shutdowns in J&K since 2012, the most of any region in India. Doda saw another shutdown in September 2025.

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