IMAGES

Top court upholds validity of criminal defamation laws

by IBNS 12 May 2016, 10:31 pm

#Top court upholds validity of criminal defamation laws

New Delhi, May 13 (IBNS) The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the constitutional validity of criminal defamation laws, which, curiously, were challenged by rival politicians, including Arvind Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi and his family's chief baiter, the BJP's Subramanian Swamy.

According to reports, the top court said,  "we have to strike a balance between fundamental rights to freedom of speech and the reputation of an individual."
 
Questioning the constitutional validity of sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code, which provide for criminal defamation, the petitioners argued that the provisions  under these sections are not needed as the Constitution's Article 19(2) imposes reasonable restriction on freedom of speech and expression.
 
The petitioners said the defamation law has been misused by politicians to gag rivals and the media.
 
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, Tamil Nadu's Captain Vijaykanth and several journalists who have been sued for defamation followed with petitions challenging the criminal defamation laws.

The Centre had told the court that defamation cases are decided very fast in other countries like Britain, while in India, they take years, even decades.

Top Headlines

Related Videos
Video

Taste of America, Indian style

by India Blooms 09 Jul 2015, 02:37 am

Video

Love is the Drug

by Hannah Cornett 01 Jun 2015, 01:00 am

Video

Can India benefit from Kentucky coal?

by ibns 30 Jan 2015, 01:12 am

Video

Bollywood weekly round up

by ians 11 Aug 2014, 12:44 am

Related Photos
Rathayatra 2025: Glimpses of the preparation in north Kolkata's Tarak Pramanik Bari

Rathayatra 2025: Glimpses of the preparation in north Kolkata's Tarak Pramanik Bari

by Trans World Features 26 Jun 2025, 11:39 am

In images : Minister Kiren Rijiju wishes Shilpa Shetty on her birthday

In images : Minister Kiren Rijiju wishes Shilpa Shetty on her birthday

by India Blooms News Service 08 Jun 2025, 09:40 pm

In Images: PM Modi addresses rally in West Bengal in his four-state visit tour

In Images: PM Modi addresses rally in West Bengal in his four-state visit tour

by Trans World Features 29 May 2025, 09:45 am