Freedom of speech doesn't extend to defamatory remarks against Army

The complaint alleges that Gandhi, in 2022, made disparaging remarks about a faceoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers

- Pawan Dixit

LUCKNOW: Dismissing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's petition, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has held that the right to freedom of speech and expression does not extend to making defamatory statements against the Indian Army.

Gandhi, the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, had challenged the summons by a local court in connection with a case related to his alleged remarks on the Indian Army.

A single-judge bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi on June 2 passed the order, rejecting Rahul Gandhi's petition.

"No doubt, Article 19(1) of the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech and expression, this freedom is subject to the reasonable restrictions and it does not include the freedom to make statements which are defamatory to any person or defamatory to the Indian Army," the high court observed.