ENSURING RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND EXPRESSION ON CYBER SPACE AS AGAINST STATE INTERVENTION - INDIAN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

While Internet has been extremely advantageous in connecting people and providing a platform for expression of  one’s views and opinions, on the other hand it has even at times lead to abuse of this platform by some necessitating legal regulation. Freedom of speech and expression being a fundamental right is legally enforceable even against the State and its agencies but the same can be legally restricted under certain ‘reasonable grounds’. This paper aims to analyse the existing law framework in this regard, with the object of identifying legal provisions which on one hand protects freedom of speech and expression on cyber space and on the other hand, the legal restrictions imposed for such freedom. Though the paper makes a brief assessment of the concerned legal aspect from international perspective in brief, it focuses largely on Indian law framework in this regard.