PIL by Arun Shourie, N Ram, Bhushan: Karnataka HC orders notice to Centre over freedom of speech

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Ministry of Law and Justice on a PIL filed by three senior journalists and a senior advocate questioning the constitutional validity of Section 2(c)(i) of the Contempt of Court's Act, 1971, in particular, the chilling effect on the freedom of speech that it has. 

A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum issued the notice after hearing the petition filed by senior journalists Krishna Prasad, N Ram, Arun Shourie, and senior advocate Prashant Bhushan. 

The petitioners have contended that the impugned sub-section is unconstitutional as it is incompatible with the values and basic features mentioned in the Preamble. It also violates Article 19(1)(a), is unconstitutionally and incurably vague, and is manifestly arbitrary, the petitioners further said. 

"As journalists, social activists and opinion-makers, the petitioners are concerned about Section Section 2(c)(i) of the Contempt of Court's Act, 1971, in particular, the chilling effect on the freedom of speech that it has", they said in the petition.