US EditionSC Says the Time Has Come to Decriminalise Defamation Law - The Statesman
The Supreme Court indicated a shift towards ending criminal defamation, noting misuse against journalists and politicians, with several high-profile cases under review.
- The Supreme Court is considering a petition from The Wire contesting a summons linked to a defamation lawsuit initiated by JNU professor Amita Singh related to a 2016 article.
- The defamation suit arose after an article accused Singh of involvement in a controversial 200-page dossier allegedly portraying JNU as a center of a sex racket and secessionism, which Singh denies.
- The summons were initially issued in 2017, annulled by the Supreme Court in 2024, reissued in January 2025, and subsequently confirmed by the Delhi High Court in May 2025, resulting in the present appeal.
- In 2016, the Supreme Court affirmed that criminal defamation under IPC Section 499 was a valid law, recognizing the protection of reputation as part of the fundamental right to life under Article 21; however, the current bench has expressed that it may be time to repeal these criminal defamation provisions, a view supported by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal.
- This development suggests a judicial willingness to reconsider criminal defamation laws amid concerns over their use against journalists and politicians, implying potential legal reforms ahead.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Time to decriminalise defamation, says SC while hearing plea in The Wire case - The Tribune
The Supreme Court, hearing The Wire's defamation case, suggested decriminalizing defamation. The case concerns a report alleging Prof. Singh's involvement in a dossier about JNU. Summons were initially issued, then challenged, re-examined, and upheld by the Delhi High Court, leading to The Wire's appeal to the Supreme Court.
SC says the time has come to decriminalise defamation law - The Statesman
Justice M M Sundresh, heading a bench with Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, made the remark while hearing a plea filed by the news portal The Wire against the summons issued by a magistrate on a complaint by Jawaharlal Nehru University professor Amita Singh over a 2016 article published by the news portal.
"Time Has Come To Decriminalise Defamation": Supreme Court's Big Remark
The Supreme Court on Monday remarked in favour of decriminalising the offence of defamation while hearing a case against online news portal 'The Wire' filed by Amita Singh, a retired teacher from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left, 43% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
