Freedom of Expression — Landmark Judgments

Landmark Judgments

Romesh Thappar v. State of Madras

1950

This foundational case established the constitutional framework for freedom of expression in independent India. The Supreme Court struck down the Madras Maintenance of Public…

Brij Bhushan v. State of Delhi

1950

Decided alongside Romesh Thappar, this case dealt with pre-censorship of the English weekly 'Organiser'. The Supreme Court held that prior restraint on publication violates…

Bennett Coleman & Co. v. Union of India

1972

Known as the Press Freedom case, this landmark judgment struck down the Newsprint Control Order that restricted newspaper pages and circulation. The Supreme Court held that…

S. Rangarajan v. P. Jagjivan Ram

1989

This case established the 'clear and present danger' test for restricting expression in India, adapting American jurisprudence to Indian constitutional framework. The Court held…

Shreya Singhal v. Union of India

2015

The digital age landmark that struck down Section 66A of the Information Technology Act 2000, which criminalized 'offensive' online content. The Supreme Court held that the…