Law of Defamation and its place in Indian society

Law of Defamation and its place in Indian society

What is law of Defamation? Does law of defamation occupy an important place in the Indian Legal System?

Defamation - Defamation is the damaging of the reputation of others through spoken words, signs or any visible representations.

* According to the Constitution of India, the fundamental right to free speech is subject to “reasonable restrictions”.

* Section 499, under the Indian penal Code, 1860, defines defamation as being committed through words, signs or visual demonstrations.

The main reason to pass the law of defamation was to protect the reputation of people or organizations from damaging statements.

Types of defamation: There are two types of defamation– Slander and Libel.

Slander:

* Slander refers to the defamation of a person or corporation through spoken words.

* It can occur through a broadcast, a speech or in an informal conversation.

Libel:

Libel refers to any form of communication, like written words or images, which spoil the reputation of a person.

Three defenses of libel - The three defenses of libel are– truth, fair comments and criticism, and privilege.

Yes, the law of defamation occupies an important place in the Indian Legal System .

* By passing the law of defamation, reputation of the people cannot be easily harmed.

* Sometimes, even your opinion can be defamatory if you speak with the support of incorrect facts.

* Whoever defames another person, will serve an imprisonment of two years, or will have to pay a fine or both.

* This shows that the law of defamation occupies an important place in the Indian Legal System .

Conclusion:

As a citizen of India, a person has the right to freedom of speech. But he/she should not misuse the right to damage the reputation of or pass a false statement against a person or an organization.