S. Khushboo v. Kanniammal

Brief Facts

Actress Khushboo made statements about premarital sex in a magazine interview. Multiple criminal cases were filed against her across Tamil Nadu for obscenity and hurting public sentiments. She challenged these cases before the Supreme Court.

Ratio Decidendi

The Supreme Court quashed all criminal cases and held that expressing views on social issues is protected under Article 19(1)(a). The Court issued directions on media reporting of sub-judice matters and emphasized that morality-based prosecution of speech must meet the constitutional test of reasonable restriction.

Impact & Significance

This judgment protected freedom of expression on controversial social topics. It established that personal views on social issues, even if unpopular, cannot be criminalized unless they fall within the specific exceptions under Article 19(2). The media guidelines issued became an important reference for responsible journalism.