Article 19

The Supreme Court struck down Maharashtra's methanol licensing rules as disproportionate, while ordering every state to adopt tamper-evident transport and licensing safeguards against hooch deaths.

The Bar Council of India tried to freeze an entire law school's bar enrolment over a student protest against the CJI. The Supreme Court stepped in within a day to mark the limits of that power.

The Delhi High Court's decision to quash proceedings against NewsClick has revived a critical debate: how should India balance anti-money laundering enforcement with press freedom? The ruling raises important questions about due process, investigative powers, and the chilling effect of prolonged criminal probes on independent journalism.

A landmark Supreme Court ruling revives the debate on free speech in India. Where does dissent end and criminality begin in the age of social media?

In India's digital landscape, a constitutional showdown is unfolding between the government and social media giant X (formerly Twitter). At its core, the conflict pits the state's desire for order against the fundamental right to free expression. The government's new centralized "Sahyog" portal is at the center of the dispute, accused of creating an opaque censorship regime that bypasses legal safeguards.

While born from a legitimate concern, the Karnataka Misinformation and Fake News Bill is a dangerously flawed overreach. Through its vague definitions, draconian penalties, and executive-dominated oversight, it creates a powerful state apparatus for censorship. This poses a direct threat to freedom of speech, dissent, and journalism under Article19(1)(a). It is not a scalpel to excise malignancy but a sledgehammer that risks shattering the foundations of democratic discourse.

Courts are shaping free speech by feelings—offense, not law, is becoming the new limit. A quiet rewrite of Article 19(1)(a).

IUML challenges timing of Electoral Bond Scheme disclosure, seeking delay until after 2024 elections. Supreme Court to decide soon.