DR.

RAM MAHOHARLOHIYANATI
ONALLAW
UNIVERSI
TY
2020-
2021

CASELAW PROJECT

ON

SHREYASI
NGHALV.UNI
ONOFI
NDI
A(2015)5SCC1

SUBMI
TTEDBY:ANUSHKAVERMA SUBMI
TTEDTO:Ms.ANKI
TAYADAV

ENROLLMENTNO:
200101034 ASSI
STANTPROFESSOR

SEMESTER:
FIRST RMLNLULUCKNOW
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I
ntheaccompl
i
shmentoft
hispr
ojectsuccessf
ull
y,manypeopl
ehav
ebestownedupon
met
hei
rbl
essi
ngsandt
hehear
tpl
edgedsuppor
t,t
hist
imeIam ut
il
izi
ngt
othankal
lthe
peopl
ewhohav
ebeenconcer
nedwi
tht
hispr
oject
.

Pr
imar
il
y,Iwoul
dli
ket
othankgodf
orbei
ngabl
etocompl
etet
hispr
ojectsuccessf
ull
y.
ThenIwoul
dli
ket
oexpr
essmyspeci
alt
hanksofgr
ati
tudet
omy“
Basi
csofCaseLaws”
pr
ofessor“
Ms.
Anki
taYadav
”forherki
ndgui
danceandf
orcl
ear
ingal
lthedoubt
sand
t
echni
cal
i
tiest
hatIcameupwi
thdur
ingt
hemaki
ngoft
hispr
oject
.

It
aket
hisoppor
tuni
tyt
oexpr
essmypr
ofoundgr
ati
tudeanddeepr
egar
dst
ohon’
ble
v
icechancel
l
or“Pr
of.
Subi
r.K.Bhat
nagar“andDr
.Ram ManoharLohi
yaNat
ional
Law
Uni
ver
sit
yforgi
vi
ngmet
hisenr
ichi
ngoppor
tuni
tyt
oresear
chandwor
kont
hist
opi
c.

Thi
spr
ojectwoul
dnothav
eseent
hel
i
ghtoft
hedaywi
thoutt
heconst
antdi
rect
ionand
gui
danceofmypar
ent
sandguar
dianst
owhom Ioweal
ot.Lastbutnott
hel
eastI
woul
dli
ket
othankmyf
ell
owmat
esandseni
orswhoai
dedmeal
ongt
hewayofmaki
ng
oft
hispr
oject
.
TABLEOFCONTENT

 OBJECTI
VE

I
NTRODUCTI
ON

 FACTS

I
SSUESRAI
SED

 ARGUMENTSBYBOTHSI
DES

 PETI
TIONER

 RESPONDENT

 JUDGEMENT

 ANALYSI
S

 CONCLUSI
ON

 BI
BLI
OGRAPHY
OBJECTI
VE:
Theobjecti
veoft hi
spr
ojecti
sto st
udyt
hecasel
aw t
hor
oughl
yand
anal
yseitcr
it
ical
l
y.

I
NTRODUCTI
ON:
CASENAME:Shr
eyaSi
nghal
vs.Uni
onofI
ndi
a

COURTNAME:Supr
emeCour
tofI
ndi
a

PETI
TIONER:Shr
eyaSi
nghal

RESPONDENT:
Uni
onofI
ndi
a

BENCH STRENGTH:2

.Jast
iChel
ameswar

.Rohi
ntanFal
iNar
iman

CI
TATI
ON USED:(
2015)5SCC1

FACTSOFTHECASE:
Pol
i
cear
rest
edt
wowomennamedShaheenDhadaandRi
nuSr
ini
vasan,
for
post
ingal
l
egedl
yof
fensi
veandobj
ect
ionabl
ecomment
sonFacebook
aboutt
hepr
opr
iet
yofshut
ti
ngdownt
heci
tyofMumbai
aft
ert
hedeat
hofa
pol
i
tical
leader
.Thepol
i
cemadet
hear
rest
sunderSect
ion66Aoft
he
I
nfor
mat
ionTechnol
ogyActof2000(
ITA)
,whi
chpuni
shesanyper
sonwho
sendst
hroughacomput
err
esour
ceorcommuni
cat
iondev
iceany
i
nfor
mat
iont
hati
sgr
ossl
yof
fensi
ve,
orwi
tht
heknowl
edgeofi
tsf
alsi
ty,
t
hei
nfor
mat
ioni
str
ansmi
tt
edf
ort
hepur
poseofcausi
ngannoy
ance,
i
nconv
eni
ence,
danger
,insul
t,i
njur
y,hat
red,
ori
l
lwi
l
l.

Al
thought
hepol
i
cel
aterr
eleasedt
hewomenanddi
smi
ssedt
hei
r
pr
osecut
ion,
thei
nci
denti
nvokedsubst
ant
ial
medi
aat
tent
ionandcr
it
ici
sm.
Thewoment
henf
il
edapet
it
ion,
chal
l
engi
ngt
heconst
it
uti
onal
val
i
dit
yof
Sect
ion66Aont
hegr
oundt
hati
tvi
olat
est
her
ightt
ofr
eedom of
expr
essi
on.

TheSupr
emeCour
tofI
ndi
aini
ti
all
yissuedani
nter
im measur
ein 
Singhalv
.
Uni
onofI
ndi
a,(
2013)12S.
C.C.73,
prohi
bit
inganyar
restpur
suantt
o
Sect
ion66Aunl
esssuchar
resti
sappr
ovedbyseni
orpol
i
ceof
fi
cer
s. 
Int
he
casei
nhand,
theCour
taddr
essedt
heconst
it
uti
onal
i
tyoft
hepr
ovi
sion.

I
SSUES RAI
SED I
N THECASE:

.Whet
hersect
ion66-
A,69-
A,79ofI
nfor
mat
iont
echnol
ogyAct2000ar
e
const
it
uti
onal
l
yval
i
d?

.Whet
hersect
ion66-
AofI
nfor
mat
ionTechnol
ogyAct2000i
svi
olat
iveof
f
reedom ofspeechandexpr
essi
onenshr
inedi
ntheconst
it
uti
on?
ARGUMENTSRAI
SED BY BOTH SI
DES:

»
PETI
TIONER:

.Sect
ion66–Aoft
heI
TAct2000i
sunconst
it
uti
onal
becausei
tvi
olat
es
t
hef
undament
alr
ight
soff
reedom ansexpr
essi
onguar
ant
eedbyar
ti
cle19
(
1)Aoft
heconst
it
uti
on.

.Ther
eisnot
hingi
ncl
ause2ofar
ti
cle19whi
chper
mit
sthest
atet
o
abr
idget
hisr
ightont
hegr
oundofconf
err
ingbenef
it
supont
hepubl
i
cin
gener
alorupont
hesect
ionoft
hepubl
i
c.

.Sect
ipn66-Apenal
i
zesspeechandexpr
essi
onont
hegr
oundt
hati
t
causesannoy
ance,
inconv
eni
ence,
danger
,obst
ruct
ion,
insul
t,i
njur
y,
cr
imi
nal
int
imi
dat
ion,
enmi
ty,
hat
redori
l
lwi
l
l.Thesegr
oundsar
eout
side
t
heambi
tofar
ti
cle19(
2).Hencet
hesect
ioni
sunconst
it
uti
onal
.

.Sect
ion-66Ai
svaguei
nnat
ureandi
nfi
rmi
tyhasbeencr
eat
edbyt
his
sect
ionasi
tdoesnotpr
oper
lydef
inet
het
ermi
nol
ogyusedundert
he
sect
ionandi
tlef
tthegat
esopenf
ori
nter
pret
ati
onsoft
hissect
ion
accor
dingt
othedesi
reoft
hel
awenf
orcementagenci
es.Thus,
the
l
i
mit
ati
oni
sabsentandnotpr
ovi
dedbyt
hesect
ion.

Thesect
ionv
iol
atest
heAr
ti
cle14oft
heI
ndi
anConst
it
uti
onast
her
eisno
“
Int
ell
i
gibl
edi
ff
erent
ia”wi
thr
espectt
owhyj
ustmet
hodsf
or
communi
cat
ionar
efocusedbyt
heSect
ion-
66A.Thi
sresul
tsi
nsel
f-
di
scr
imi
nat
ionwhi
chbyt
hewayv
iol
atest
heAr
ti
cle14,
21oft
he
const
it
uti
on.
.Thei
mpugnedheadsoft
her
est
ri
cti
onsar
einext
ri
cabl
yli
nkedwi
tht
he
ot
herpr
ovi
sionsoft
hesect
ionwhi
char
enotsev
erabl
e.Hencet
heent
ir
e
sect
ion66-
Aisunconst
it
uti
onal
.

.Sect
ion66-
Asuf
fer
sfr
om t
hev
aguenessbecauset
heexpr
essi
on
ment
ionedt
her
einconv
eydi
ff
erentmeani
ngst
odi
ff
erentper
sonsand
dependont
hesubj
ect
iveopi
nionoft
hecompl
ainantandt
hest
atut
ory
aut
hor
it
ywi
thoutanyobj
ect
ivest
andar
dornor
m.

.Thepet
it
ioner
sal
soar
guedt
hatt
hesect
ionconst
ruedar
bit
rar
ypower
sto
t
heaut
hor
it
iesf
ori
tsi
nter
pret
ati
on.

.Thepet
it
ioneral
soar
guest
hatt
heI
nfor
mat
ionTechnol
ogy
(I
nter
medi
ari
esGui
del
i
nesandr
ules)2011ar
eul
tr
avi
resand
unconst
it
uti
onal
.

RESPONDENT:

Obj
ect
ionsr
oseonbehal
foft
her
espondent
sagai
nstt
hemai
ntai
nabi
l
ityof
t
hewr
itpet
it
ion:

1)I
tist
hel
egi
slat
urewhoi
sresponsi
blet
omeett
her
equi
rement
sof
peopl
eandt
hecour
tisal
l
owedt
oint
erf
ereonl
yincaseofv
iol
ati
onof
Par
t-
II
Ioft
he Const
it
uti
on.The r
espondentar
gued t
hatt
her
eis
pr
esumpt
ioni
nfav
ourofconst
it
uti
onal
i
tyofl
awi
nquest
ion.

2)Ther
espondentar
guedt
hataf
tert
hef
ir
stConst
it
uti
onAmendment
Act1951,t
erm “
int
he i
nter
estof
”is used i
nst
ead of“i
nthe
 mai
ntenanceof
”inar
ti
cle19(
2)andt
hatt
het
erm “i
nthei
nter
estof
”
i
sofgr
eatampl
i
tudeandar
emuchwi
der
.

3)Ther
espondentar
guedt
hatt
hef
reedom ofspeechandexpr
essi
on
can nev
erencompass wi
thi
nit
s sweep t
he f
reedom t
o conv
ey
“
inf
ormat
ion”whi
char
eei
ther“
grossl
yof
fensi
ve”orof“menaci
ng
char
act
er”ascont
empl
atedundersect
ion66-
A(a)oft
heactorany
i
nfor
mat
ionsentf
ort
hepur
poseofcausi
ng“danger
,obst
ruct
ion,
hat
red,
cri
minali
nti
midat
ion,
il
lwi
l
l,i
nsul
t,i
njur
yet
c”ascont
empl
ated
undersect
ion66-
Boft
heact
.

4)Ther
espondentar
guedt
hati
tisaset
tl
edl
aw t
hatnopr
ovi
sioni
na
st
atut
emaybedecl
aredunconst
it
uti
onalonanal
l
egat
iont
hatsame
i
svaguei
fther
ear
enoot
hergr
oundsl
i
kel
egi
slat
ivecompet
ence,
ar
bit
rar
inesset
c.

5)I
twascont
endedt
hatt
hepr
obabi
l
ityofabusesct
ioncoul
dnotbea
gr
oundf
ordecl
ari
ngt
hesect
ionasi
nval
i
dorunconst
it
uti
onal
.

JUDGEMENT:

Just
icesChel
ameswarandNar
imandel
i
ver
edt
heopi
nionoft
heSupr
eme
Cour
tofI
ndi
a.

Themai
nissuewaswhet
herSect
ion66AofI
TAv
iol
atedt
her
ightt
o
f
reedom ofexpr
essi
onguar
ant
eedunderAr
ti
cle19(
1)(
a)oft
he
Const
it
uti
onofI
ndi
a.Asanexcept
iont
other
ight
,Ar
ti
cle19(
2)per
mit
sthe
gov
ernmentt
oimpose“
reasonabl
erest
ri
cti
ons...i
nthei
nter
est
soft
he
sov
erei
gnt
yandi
ntegr
it
yofI
ndi
a,t
hesecur
it
yoft
heSt
ate,
fri
endl
yrel
ati
ons
wi
thf
orei
gnSt
ates,
publ
i
cor
der
,decencyormor
ali
tyori
nrel
ati
ont
o
cont
emptofcour
t,def
amat
ionori
nci
tementt
oanof
fense.
”

ThePet
it
ioner
sar
guedt
hatSect
ion66Awasunconst
it
uti
onal
becausei
ts
i
ntendedpr
otect
ionagai
nstannoy
ance,
inconv
eni
ence,
danger
,obst
ruct
ion,
i
nsul
t,i
njur
y,cr
imi
nal
int
imi
dat
ion,
ori
l
l-wi
l
lfal
lout
sidet
hepur
viewof
Ar
ti
cle19(
2).Theyal
soar
guedt
hatt
hel
awwasunconst
it
uti
onal
l
yvague
asi
tfai
l
stospeci
fi
cal
l
ydef
inei
tspr
ohi
bit
ions.I
naddi
ti
on,
theycont
ended
t
hatt
hel
awhasa“
chi
l
li
ngef
fect
”ont
her
ightt
ofr
eedom ofexpr
essi
on.
[
par
a.5]

Thegov
ernment
,ont
heot
herhand,
arguedt
hatt
hel
egi
slat
urei
sint
he
bestposi
ti
ont
oful
fi
ll
theneedsofpeopl
eandcour
tsmayi
nter
fer
ewi
th
l
egi
slat
ivepr
ocessonl
ywhen“
ast
atut
eiscl
ear
lyv
iol
ati
veoft
her
ight
s
conf
err
edont
heci
ti
zenunderPar
t-
II
Ioft
heConst
it
uti
on.
”[par
a.6]The
gov
ernmentcont
endedt
hatmer
epr
esenceofabuseofapr
ovi
sionmaynot
beagr
oundt
odecl
aret
hepr
ovi
sionasunconst
it
uti
onal
.Al
so,
the
gov
ernmentwasoft
heopi
niont
hatl
oosel
anguageoft
hel
awcoul
dnotbe
agr
oundf
ori
nval
i
dit
ybecauset
hel
awi
sconcer
nedwi
thnov
elmet
hodsof
di
stur
bingpeopl
e’
sri
ght
sthr
oughi
nter
net
.Accor
dingt
othegov
ernment
,
v
aguenesscannotnotagr
oundt
odecl
areast
atut
eunconst
it
uti
onal
“ift
he
st
atut
eisot
her
wisel
egi
slat
ivel
ycompet
entandnon-
arbi
tr
ary
.”[
par
a.6]

TheCour
tfi
rstdi
scussedt
hreef
undament
alconcept
sinunder
standi
ngt
he
f
reedom ofexpr
essi
on:
discussi
on,
adv
ocacy
,andi
nci
tement
.Accor
dingt
o
t
heCour
t,“
[m]
eredi
scussi
onorev
enadv
ocacyofapar
ti
cul
arcause
howsoev
erunpopul
ari
satt
hehear
t”oft
her
ight
.[par
a.13]And,
thel
aw
maycur
tai
lthef
reedom onl
ywhenadi
scussi
onoradv
ocacyamount
sto
i
nci
tement
.[par
a.13]

Asappl
i
edt
othecasei
nhand,
theCour
tfoundt
hatSect
ion66Ai
scapabl
e
ofl
i
mit
ingal
lfor
msofi
nter
netcommuni
cat
ionsasi
tmakesnodi
sti
nct
ion
“
bet
weenmer
edi
scussi
onoradv
ocacyofapar
ti
cul
arpoi
ntofv
iew,
whi
ch
maybeannoy
ingori
nconv
eni
entorgr
ossl
yof
fensi
vet
osomeand
i
nci
tementbywhi
chsuchwor
dsl
eadt
oani
mmi
nentcausal
connect
ion
wi
thpubl
i
cdi
sor
der
,secur
it
yofSt
ateet
c.”[
par
a.20]

TheCour
tfur
therhel
dthatt
hel
awf
ail
stoest
abl
i
shacl
earpr
oxi
mat
e
r
elat
iont
othepr
otect
ionofpubl
i
cor
der
.Accor
dingt
otheCour
t,t
he
commi
ssi
onofanof
fenseunderSect
ion66Ai
scompl
etebysendi
nga
messagef
ort
hepur
poseofcausi
ngannoy
anceori
nsul
t.Asar
esul
t,t
he
l
awdoesnotmakedi
sti
nct
ionbet
weenmassdi
ssemi
nat
ionand
di
ssemi
nat
iont
oonl
yoneper
sonwi
thoutr
equi
ri
ngt
hemessaget
ohav
ea
cl
eart
endencyofdi
srupt
ingpubl
i
cor
der
.

Ast
owhet
herSect
ion66Awasav
ali
dat
temptt
opr
otecti
ndi
vi
dual
sfr
om
def
amat
oryst
atement
sthr
oughonl
i
necommuni
cat
ions,
theCour
tnot
ed
t
hatt
hemai
ningr
edi
entofdef
amat
ioni
s“i
njur
ytor
eput
ati
on.
”Ithel
dthat
t
hel
awdoesnotconcer
nthi
sobj
ect
ivebecausei
tal
socondemns
of
fensi
vest
atement
sthatmayannoyorbei
nconv
eni
entt
oani
ndi
vi
dual
wi
thoutaf
fect
inghi
sreput
ati
on.[
par
a.43]

TheCour
tal
sohel
dthatt
hegov
ernmentf
ail
edt
oshowt
hatt
hel
awi
ntends
t
opr
eventcommuni
cat
ions 
thati
nci
tet
hecommi
ssi
onofanof
fense
because 
“t
hemer
ecausi
ngofannoy
ance,
inconv
eni
ence,
dangeret
c.,
or
bei
nggr
ossl
yof
fensi
veorhav
ingamenaci
ngchar
act
erar
enotof
fences
undert
hePenal
Codeatal
l
.”[
par
a.44]
 

Ast
opet
it
ioner
s’chal
l
engeofv
agueness,
 theCour
tfol
l
owedt
heU.
S.
j
udi
cial
precedent
,whi
chhol
dst
hat“
wher
enor
easonabl
est
andar
dsar
e
l
aiddownt
odef
inegui
l
tinaSect
ionwhi
chcr
eat
esanof
fense,
andwher
e
nocl
eargui
dancei
sgi
vent
oei
therl
awabi
dingci
ti
zensort
oaut
hor
it
ies
andcour
ts,
aSect
ionwhi
chcr
eat
esanof
fenseandwhi
chi
svaguemustbe
st
ruckdownasbei
ngar
bit
rar
yandunr
easonabl
e.”[
par
a.52] 
TheCour
t
f
oundt
hatSect
ion66Al
eav
esmanyt
ermsopen-
endedandundef
ined,
t
her
efor
emaki
ngt
hest
atut
evoi
dforv
agueness.
 
TheCour
tal
soaddr
essedwhet
herSect
ion66Ai
scapabl
eofi
mposi
ng
chi
l
li
ngef
fectont
her
ightt
ofr
eedom ofexpr
esssi
on.I
thel
dthatbecause
t
hepr
ovi
sionf
ail
stodef
inet
erms,
suchasi
nconv
eni
enceorannoy
ance,
“a
v
eryl
argeamountofpr
otect
edandi
nnocentspeech”coul
dbecur
tai
l
ed.
[
par
a.83]
 

TheCour
tal
sonot
edt
hei
ntel
l
igi
bledi
ff
erencebet
weeni
nfor
mat
ion
t
ransmi
tt
edt
hroughi
nter
netandot
herf
ormsofspeech,
whi
chper
mit
sthe
gov
ernmentt
ocr
eat
esepar
ateof
fensesr
elat
edt
oonl
i
necommuni
cat
ions.
Accor
dingl
y,t
heCour
trej
ect
edpet
it
ioner
s’ar
gumentt
hatSect
ion66Awas
i
nvi
olat
ionofAr
ti
cle14oft
heConst
it
uti
onagai
nstdi
scr
imi
nat
ion.[
par
a.
98]
 

TheCour
tdecl
i
nedt
oaddr
esst
hePet
it
ioner
s’chal
l
engeofpr
ocedur
al
unr
easonabl
enesssi
ncet
hel
awwasal
readydecl
aredunconst
it
uti
onal
on
subst
ant
ivegr
ounds.I
tal
sof
oundSect
ion118(
d)oft
heKer
alaPol
i
ceAct
t
obeunconst
it
uti
onal
asappl
i
edt
oSect
ion66A.
 

Basedont
hef
orgoi
ngr
easons,
theCour
tinv
ali
dat
edSect
ion66AofI
TAi
n
i
tsent
ir
etyasi
tvi
olat
edt
her
ightt
ofr
eedom ofexpr
essi
onguar
ant
eed
underAr
ti
cle19(
1)(
a)oft
heConst
it
uti
onofI
ndi
a.

ANALYSI
S:

Themostdi
rectbenef
itoft
hisj
udgmenti
stheposi
ti
vei
mpactt
hati
twi
l
l
hav
eonf
reedom ofspeechont
heI
nter
net
,oneaspectofourf
undament
al
r
ight
sthathasi
nther
ecentpastbeensy
stemat
ical
l
yer
oded.TheCour
t
hasbeenunequi
vocal
int
het
esti
thasl
aiddown–t
hatunt
ili
tri
sest
othe
l
evel
of"
inci
tement
"al
ldi
scussi
onandadv
ocacyhast
hepr
otect
ionoft
he
f
undament
alr
ightt
ofr
eedom ofspeechandexpr
essi
on.Thel
egi
slat
urei
s
boundt
oabi
debyt
hiscl
eardi
rect
ionf
rom t
hehi
ghestcour
tint
hel
andand
ensur
ethatanyf
utur
elegi
slat
iveexer
cisef
oll
owst
hatpr
inci
ple.

Sect
ion66Awasor
igi
nal
l
yint
endedt
oaddr
esst
het
winpr
obl
emsofspam
andcy
berst
alki
ng.I
thas,
unf
ort
unat
ely
,beenusedt
ocr
ackdownononl
i
ne
di
ssentandpol
i
tical
cri
ti
cism.Wi
tht
hei
ncr
easeduseofsoci
almedi
athi
s
hasbeenf
urt
herexacer
bat
edandv
ari
ousagenci
esoft
hegov
ernmenthav
e
swoopedi
ntocur
bthedi
ssemi
nat
ionofi
nfor
mat
ionandt
hev
oici
ngof
opi
nionsonsoci
almedi
asi
tesl
i
keFacebookandTwi
tt
er.

Bydecl
ari
ngSect
ion66Aunconst
it
uti
onal
,theSupr
emeCour
thas
acknowl
edgedt
hatf
reedom ofspeechext
endst
otheonl
i
ner
eal
m aswel
l
andt
hatf
ort
hemostpar
t,muchoft
hesamepr
inci
plesappl
y.I
thast
aci
tl
y
acknowl
edgedt
hatmuchofwhati
ssai
donsoci
almedi
aandt
hei
nter
net
wi
l
lpr
ovokeorannoybuthasr
uledt
hatev
eni
nthosecasest
he
gov
ernmentmaynotcur
bther
ight
sofi
ndi
vi
dual
stoenj
oyt
hei
r
f
undament
alr
ightoff
reedom ofspeechandexpr
essi
on.I
tisonl
ywhen
soci
almedi
aisusedt
oinci
teper
sonst
opubl
i
cdi
sor
dert
hatt
he
r
est
ri
cti
onsof
fer
edunderAr
ti
cle19(
2)canbei
nvoked.

I
tisper
hapsunf
ort
unat
ethatt
heCour
tdi
dnotseef
itt
oappl
ythesame
l
ogi
ctot
hepr
ovi
sionsofSect
ion69A.Howev
er,
thedeci
siont
oreaddown
t
hepr
ovi
sionsofRul
e3(
4)andconsequent
lyr
ati
onal
i
zet
hebenef
itof
Sect
ion79oft
heI
TActt
othebr
oadcommuni
tyofi
nter
medi
ari
esi
sli
kel
y
t
ohav
easi
gni
fi
cantbenef
itonI
ndi
ancompani
eswhosebusi
nessmodel
is
basedont
heI
nter
net
.

Keepi
ngal
lthi
sasi
de,
thej
udgmenthasabr
oader
,per
hapsl
esst
angi
ble
i
mpact
.Nev
ersi
ncet
he1960'
shasacour
tmadesuchabol
drul
i
ngon
f
reedom ofspeech.Andi
tcoul
dnothav
ecomeatabet
tert
ime.Todayt
he
wor
ldi
saf
armor
econnect
edpl
acet
hani
twaswhent
heConst
it
uti
onwas
dr
aft
ed.Ther
ippl
eef
fectofact
ionsar
efel
tmuchf
urt
heraf
iel
dandmoder
n
t
echnol
ogi
esal
l
owourv
oicest
obeampl
i
fied.Thegov
ernmentl
egi
ti
mat
ely
f
ear
stheconsequencesofal
l
owi
ngr
adi
cal
element
stouset
hesemoder
n
t
echnol
ogi
esuncheckedast
hiscanbeapower
ful
weaponof
dest
abi
l
isat
ion.

Yetev
eni
nthi
smoder
naget
her
eisaneedt
opr
eser
veandpr
otectt
he
f
undament
alr
ightt
ofr
eedom ofspeechandexpr
essi
on.Rat
hert
hanbl
ock
t
heuseofmoder
ntechnol
ogi
es,
thegov
ernmentmustdev
isenewway
sin
whi
chf
reedom canbeenj
oyedwi
thoutdescendi
ngi
ntochaosandpubl
i
c
di
sor
der
.Wi
tht
hisunequi
vocal
andunassai
l
abl
ejudgment
,theSupr
eme
Cour
thasj
ustmandat
edt
heGov
ernmentt
ofi
ndt
hosesol
uti
ons.

CONCLUSI
ON:

Thi
sisav
eryi
mpor
tantj
udgmentf
rom t
heSupr
emeCour
tofI
ndi
a,i
n
whi
cht
het
woj
udgebenchsoughtt
onar
rowl
ydef
inet
heci
rcumst
ancesi
n
whi
chf
reedom ofspeechandexpr
essi
oncoul
dlegi
ti
mat
elybecur
tai
l
ed
underI
ndi
a’
sConst
it
uti
on.Mor
eov
er,
theSupr
emeCour
trecogni
sedt
hat
t
hesamel
evel
ofconst
it
uti
onal
scr
uti
nywoul
dbegi
vent
olawswhi
chseek
t
oregul
atespeechonl
i
neaswoul
dbeappl
i
edt
olawsr
egul
ati
ngmor
e
t
radi
ti
onal
medi
a.

I
nit
sjudgmentt
heSupr
emeCour
tal
souphel
dtheconst
it
uti
onal
i
tyof
sect
ion69Aoft
heI
nfor
mat
ionTechnol
ogyAct
,whi
chpr
ovi
desasy
stem
f
ort
hebl
ocki
ngofi
nfor
mat
iononl
i
nebywayofanor
derf
rom amemberof
Cent
ral
Gov
ernment
.TheSupr
emeCour
treasonedt
hatappr
opr
iat
e
saf
eguar
dswer
ebui
l
tint
othel
egi
slat
ivepr
ovi
sion,
andt
heci
rcumst
ances
underwhi
chi
tappl
i
edwer
enar
rowl
ytai
l
oredt
othr
eeoft
hedesi
gnat
ed
subj
ect
sinAr
ti
cle19(
2).TheSupr
emeCour
tal
sor
eaddownsect
ion79of
t
heI
nfor
mat
ionTechnol
ogyActoni
nter
medi
aryl
i
abi
l
ity
.Thepr
ovi
sion
mustnowber
eadaspr
ovi
dingf
ori
nter
medi
aryl
i
abi
l
ityonl
ywher
ean
i
nter
medi
aryhasr
ecei
vedact
ual
knowl
edgef
rom acour
tor
deroronbei
ng
not
if
iedbyGov
ernmentt
hatunl
awf
ulact
srel
atedt
oAr
ti
cle19(
2)ar
egoi
ng
t
obecommi
tt
ed,
andt
hati
nter
medi
aryhadf
ail
edt
oexpedi
ti
ousl
yremov
e
ordi
sabl
eaccesst
osuchi
nfor
mat
ion.

I
n i
ts 
j
udgment
,theSupr
emeCour
tdemonst
rat
esi
tsunwav
eri
ng
commi
tmentt
othespeci
fi
cter
msofAr
ti
cle19(
2)underwhi
chf
reedom of
speechandexpr
essi
oncanbel
egi
ti
mat
ely
 rest
ri
cted.I
ndoi
ngso,
the
Supr
emeCour
thi
ghl
i
ght
sthecl
eardi
ff
erencesbet
weenAr
ti
cle19(
2)oft
he
Const
it
uti
onandsi
mil
arpr
ovi
sionsi
nint
ernat
ional
humanr
ight
str
eat
ies.
Forexampl
e,Ar
ti
cle19(
2)doesnotr
ecogni
set
hemor
ebr
oadl
y
def
ined 
“l
egi
ti
mat
eai
m”of“
prot
ect
ingt
her
ight
sofot
her
s”.

BI
BLI
OGRAPHY:

·
Shr
eyaSi
nghalv.Uni
onofIndi
a, 
AIR2015SC1523.
·
htt
p://
www. t
helexrepository.
com/ an-
injur
y-t
o-our
-l
iber
al-
views-
shr
eya-
singhal
-v-
uni
on-
of-
indi
a/

·
htt
ps:
//i
ndi
ankanoon.
org/
doc/
110813550/

·
htt
ps:
//gl
obal
fr
eedomof
expr
essi
on.
col
umbi
a.edu/
cases/
shr
eya-
si
nghal
-v-
uni
on-
of-
indi
a/

·
htt
ps:
//bl
og.
ipl
eader
s.i
n/shr
eya-
singhal
-v-
uni
on-
indi
a-case-
r
ejuv
enat
ed-
li
ber
ty-
speech-
expr
essi
on-
count
ry/