INTRODUCTION Tanish Dahuja* Free speech and Expression, under article 19(1)(a) [1] are one of the most important and useful Rights available in our Constitution. This freedom plays a pivotal role in generating “public opinion” regarding “economic, political and social matters.” This freedom comprises within its ambit the “distribution of information”, “freedom of propagation and exchange of ideas” that helps forming one’s opinion and point of view and debates on matters of public concern. In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India [2] , Justice Bhagwati has highlighted on the importance of the “freedom of speech and expression” as under: “ Democracy is based essentially on free debate and open discussion, for that is the only corrective of government action in a democratic setup. If democracy means government of the people by the people, it is obvious that every citizen must be entitled to participate in th...
