Raj Narain Case Study

Raj narain case
In State of Uttar Pradesh v. Raj Narain, case, briefly the facts were as follows. This was an appeal by special leave from the judgement dated 20 march, 1974 of the learned single judge of the High Court at Allahabad, holding that no privilege can be claimed by the government of the Uttar Pradesh under section 123 of the Evidence Act in respect of what is described for the sake of brevity to be the blue book summoned from the government of U.P. and certain documents summoned from the superintendent of Police, Rai Bareli, Uttar Pradesh.
In this case the basic question which was considered by the Constitutional Bench was, whether privilege can be claimed by the government of the Uttar Pradesh under section 123 of the Indian Evidence Act in respect of what has been described for the sake of brevity to be the Blue Book summoned from the government of the Uttar Pradesh. Justice

Perhaps in this context the court observed:
“ the constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression conferred by article 19 (1)(a) of the constitution which includes the freedom of press, is not aa absolute right, nor does it confer any right on the press to have an unrestricted access to means of information. The Press is entitled to exercise its freedom of speech and expression by publishing a matter which does not invade the rights of other citizens and which does not violate the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the state, public order, decency and morality”.
It may be pointed out here that Court’s observation that “Article 19(1)(a)....indeed does not confer any right on the Press to have unrestricted access to means of information, implies that Article 19(1)(a) of the constitution does not confer a right on the press to have access to means of information, although this right like any other right is not absolute or