Discuss Section 66A of IT Act, with reference to its alleged violation of Article 19 of the Constitution.

Stories on this topic

• Supreme Court: refusing to sing the National Song cannot be punished

  Both cases turn on whether the State can penalise expression (or its refusal) beyond the grounds listed in Article 19(2); cite Shreya Singhal alongside the National Song ruling.

• New film certification guidelines notified for the CBFC

  Like film certification, it tests whether a speech restriction stays within the grounds of Article 19(2).

• Shreya Singhal v. Union of India

  Shreya Singhal answered this question two years later by striking down Section 66A as violating Article 19(1)(a).

• 1st Amendment

  Section 66A was tested against the Article 19(2) grounds, several of which were inserted by the First Amendment.