New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ruled that even when using the concept of collective responsibility, a minister’s remarks cannot be used to indirectly blame the administration. The freedom of a citizen to free expression cannot be restricted in any way beyond what is allowed under Article 19(2) of the Constitution, according to a five-judge Constitution bench. The prohibitions under Article 19(2), according to the panel of judges that included Justices S. Abdul Nazeer, B. R. Gavai, A. S. Bopanna, V. Ramasubramanian, and B. V. Nagarathna, are all-inclusive.
The ruling concerned whether limitations might be placed on a public official’s rights of speech and expression. In a separate ruling, Justice Nagarathna stated that the right to free speech and expression is crucial for ensuring that the public is well-informed and educated about government.