SC on May 13th upheld defamation laws
Q. SC upheld constitutional validity of penal laws on defamation saying which fundamental right was including the right to reputation?- Published on 16 May 16a. A20
b. A21
c. A22
d. A23
ANSWER: A21
Supreme Court on 13 May 2016 upheld constitutional validity of penal laws on defamation. The two-judge bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Justice Prafulla C Pant said the right to life under Article 21 includes the right to reputation.
- The apex court was hearing the matter based on 24 petitions alleging that the provisions of criminal sanction act as a censoring device, violates the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution.
- They argued that criminal defamation travels beyond the Constitution's article 19(2) that imposes reasonable restrictions on the freedom of speech and expression.