Free Speech: The Importance Of The Freedom Of Speech

Reasonable restrictions and unreasonable speech
By, M.V. Chandramathi
Assistant professor
Symbiosis Law School, Hyderabad

I. INTRODUCTION
We are in the 21st Century which adage certain methodical and ground-breaking innovations in the field of literature, science, technology and other interconnected fields. In fact this process of progress which the society witnessed in the later part of the 20th century, after much hard struggles for freedom and in the period of independence, we trailed side by side with the developed and developing countries and had left a smudge for ourselves. We have contributed meaningfully to the all-round development of our country India in almost all the fields. From the very ancient times we were known for our culture,

It occupies an very important arrangement in the hierarchy of the liberty. The liberty of freedom of speech and expression means to express one’s own right in a free and unbiased manner which is important in the development of the human being as a human being. It is fairly and factually said that the freedom of speech and expression is the mother of all freedoms and liberties. In the present modern times it is extensively accepted that the right to freedom of speech and expression is the soul of free society and must be protected at all

This can be understood form the fact that the preamble of our Indian Constitution ensures to all its citizens, liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. The aim and goal of this freedom of thought and expression is transformed as a fundamental right under Article 19(1) (a) as “freedom of speech and expression”. Article 19 (1) (a) in its original form read as follows: “All citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression.” This fundamental right was, however, limited by Article 19 (2) which said: “Nothing in sub-clause (a) of clause 1 shall affect the operation of any existing law insofar as it relates to or prevents the state from making any law relating to libel, slander, defamation, contempt of court or any matter which offend against decency or morality or which undermines the security of the state or tends to overthrow the