October 05, 2026 09:44 pm (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
'If law wasn't followed, we can undo it': Supreme Court's big warning on SIR process amid Gyanesh Kumar row | From TMC Rajya Sabha MP to BJP nominee in 6 months: Koel Mallick's stunning political U-turn | ‘Stomp on your head’: Omani flydubai co-pilot’s chilling posts on violence against women surface | Asian Games 2026: India beat Pakistan to clinch gold in men's cricket | flydubai cockpit attack: Deleted posts expose Omani co-pilot’s views on women, alleged extremist past | flydubai cockpit horror: Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with crash axe, tried to seize control | flydubai temporarily suspends all Israel flights after co-pilot’s alleged cockpit attack, crash attempt | Grounded in Oman over ‘radical views’, then hired by flydubai: What we know about Omani pilot Hamam al-Hammami | ‘Hanuman Chalisa gave me courage’: Smit Machchhar recounts flydubai cockpit battle to PM Modi | PM Modi speaks to Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar who foiled crash plot, praises his courage

Top court upholds validity of criminal defamation laws

| | May 13, 2016, at 06:30 pm
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.
#Supreme Court # criminal defamation laws # Arvind Kejriwal # Rahul Gandhi

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Related Images
In Images: Koel Mallick files Rajya Sabha nomination; Suvendu Adhikari, Samik Bhattacharya by her side
In Images: Koel Mallick files Rajya Sabha nomination; Suvendu Adhikari, Samik Bhattacharya by her side Oct 05, 2026, at 05:41 pm
In Images: Kolkata marks PM Modi’s 76th birthday with diya lighting programme
In Images: Kolkata marks PM Modi’s 76th birthday with diya lighting programme Sep 18, 2026, at 12:41 am
In Images: Modi meets African leaders on BRICS sidelines
In Images: Modi meets African leaders on BRICS sidelines Sep 13, 2026, at 07:20 pm
Related Videos
‘You Are Our Pride’: PM Modi Speaks to Flydubai Hero Captain Smit Machchhar Oct 02, 2026, at 05:22 pm
Smit Machchhar: flydubai Indian Pilot Who Saved 174 Lives Is Carried Out of the Aircraft Oct 02, 2026, at 05:20 pm
Netanyahu lauds dentist for overpowering flydubai attacker Oct 01, 2026, at 03:15 pm