SC: Don’t misuse defamation laws

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, July 28

The Supreme Court today denounced the practice of ruling parties misusing defamation laws to stifle criticism against the government.

“Such acts amount to curbing free speech. Defamation laws cannot be misused as a political weapon to ward off criticism, which needs to be tolerated,” a Bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and RF Nariman remarked.

The Bench made the comments while hearing actor-turned-politician and DMDK chief Vijayakanth’s plea for quashing 14 such cases filed against him by the Tamil Nadu Government headed by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Governments should not invoke such laws, particularly to deter people from exposing corruption in the administration, the Bench said.

Seeking a list of defamation cases filed by the Jayalalithaa government against its political opponents, the Bench stayed the non-bailable warrants issued against the DMDK chief and his wife Premalatha for calling the administration corrupt.