Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje (Express Photo by Rohit Jain Paras/Files) Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje (Express Photo by Rohit Jain Paras/Files)Rajasthan’s legislative assembly was adjourned yesterday amidst an uproar caused by the government’s attempts to convert the “Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017” into law. A prior restraint is a form of censorship which is imposed before, not after, something is published. A newspaper, under the Rajasthan ordinance, would be barred from writing a story saying that the allegations against Mr X are absolutely false and reckless. Thus framed, the Rajasthan ordinance is clearly unconstitutional. However, the Rajasthan ordinance prohibits even newspaper reports which, in no manner, brand the accused as guilty before the trial.

Source: Indian Express October 23, 2017 19:27 UTC