![]() ![]() Gandhi has never had much faith in the press. It is not Indian Leaders were not aware of the US First Amendment or of Jefferson’s famous declaration when he said that “Were it left me to decide whether we should have a government without newspaper or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” Jawahar Lal Nehru echoed similar views “I would rather have a completely free press, with all the dangers involved in the wrong use of that freedom, than a suppressed or regulated press.” Voltair once said, “I do not agree with a word you say but I defend to death your right to say it.” The freedom of the press and of expression is guarded by the First Amendment to the US Constitution which specifically lays down that this freedom be in no way abridge by the laws. It is an absence of statutory and administrative control on dissemination of information, ideas, knowledge and thoughts. Incitement to an offence Freedom of Press Defined Friendly relations with foreign countries Public Interest has to be safeguard by article 19(1)(2) which lays down reasonable limitations to the freedom of expression in matters affecting:Ī. However, the freedom of the press is not absolute, just as the freedom of expression is not. ![]() The right to freedom of the press includes the right to propagate ideas and views and to publish and circulate them. It is clear that the right to freedom of speech and expression carries with it the right to publish and circulate one’s ideast, opinions and other views with complete freedom and by resorting to all available means of publication. in Romesh Thaper that freedom of speech and expression included propagation of ideas, and that freedom was ensured by the freedom of circulation. In Romesh Thaper vs State of Madras and Brij Bhushan vs State of Delhi, the Supreme Court took it for granted the fact that the freedom of the press was an essential part of the right to freedom of speech and expression. The framers of the Indian constitution considered freedom of the press as an essential part of the freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed in Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution. Denial of freedom of the press to citizens would necessarily undermine the power to influence public opinion and be counter to democracy. The press, a powerful medium of mass communication, should be free to play its role in building a strong viable society. To preserve the democratic way of life it is essential that people should have the freedom of express their feelings and to make their views known to the people at large. Ambedkar, Chairman of the Drafting Committee, that no special mention of the freedom of press was necessary at all as the press and an an individual or a citizen were the same as far as their right of expression was concerned. In the Constituent Assembly Debates it was made clear by Dr. Freedom of press is not specifically mentioned in article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution and what is mentioned there is only freedom of speech and expression. ![]()
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