Hritik Gupta, Amity University, Patna
Introduction
In India, the rule of law is the foundation of the concept of public accountability and credibility. When we talk about freedom of speech and expression which is a fundamental right finding its sanction through the Indian Constitution, it is considered to be a gift to the mankind. A man is a social animal having thoughts, emotions and feelings and through the medium of right to free speech and expression the human beings communicates his/her thoughts, emotions and feelings to each other. It is a basic human right and is the first requirement of liberty. Freedom of speech and expression is known to be the mother of all liberty. There is no definite definition of freedom of speech and expression, however it can be quoted as “a right which leads human beings to freely express their thoughts and opinion by the way of speech, writing, photography, painting, or through any other means. It is considered to be cornerstone of a democratic establishment and in modern times is recognized widely. A freedom to communicate beliefs and ideas without impediments and without the fear of punishment plays a vital role in the formulation of a democratic society. It is a safeguard provided by the constitution against the administrative repression and control1. In a democratic establishment, every public authority is under scrutiny and the general public have full right (subject to reasonable restrictions) to freely and openly analyze the behavior and performance under the establishment of rule of law. The freedom of speech and expression also includes the freedom of the press which plays a very critical function in disseminating any pertinent information that is desirable by the general public and is accessible by them.
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