Legislative privilege vs free speech: Supreme Court 7-judge bench may close case
The Supreme Court of India is set to close a long-standing case regarding legislative privilege versus free speech after the Tamil Nadu assembly withdrew the resolution that originally triggered the dispute. The case, which has been pending for 23 years, is now considered academic.
Why it matters
The resolution of this case highlights the judiciary's role in managing legacy litigation and the evolving boundaries between legislative authority and press freedom.
NEW DELHI: Nearly 23 years after it stayed the arrests of some journalists following the Tamil Nadu assembly passing a breach of privilege resolution against them, the hearing scheduled before a seven-judge Supreme Court bench Wednesday, which promised to be a legal duel over the media's right to free speech versus the ambit of legislative privilege, appears to be an exercise for the records.For TN assembly, senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, flanked by attorney general R Venkataramani and solicitor general Tushar Mehta, told a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that the cause of action for the writ petition did not survive and the issue had become academic…
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