X issues statement on suspension of Reuters' accounts, says govt gave one hour, no justification: 'Non-compliance risked...'

X (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday said it had been asked by the Indian government to block more than 2,300 accounts, including the official handles of the international news agency Reuters. The order was issued on July 3 under Section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act. X’s Global Government Affairs team said in a post, "Non-compliance risked criminal liability. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology demanded immediate action- within one hour- without providing justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice."

What had government claimed?
Days ago, several official X handles of Reuters had been suspended in India. A message displayed on the main X handle of the global news agency said the action was in response to a "legal demand." However, the Indian government had denied any role in the suspension of the accounts. "There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem," the Centre said in a statement on Sunday, July 6.

What else did X say?
In its post on Tuesday, X' Global Government Affairs department added, "We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders. X is exploring all legal options available. Unlike users located in India, X is restricted by Indian law in its ability to bring legal challenges against these executive orders. We urge affected users to pursue legal remedies through the courts." X is owned by American billionaire and the world's wealthiest man Elon Musk.