Photo: MintNew Delhi: In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the criminal provisions of defamation are constitutionally valid. The Supreme Court said that it was difficult to consider criminal defamation has a chilling effect on speech. The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the criminal provisions of defamation are constitutionally validThe verdict will bring clarity to the interplay of free speech rights against defamation. The court on Friday said that the stay in these cases would stand lifted as the law on criminal defamation was held valid. Under sections 499 and 500 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), defamation is a criminal offence.

Source: Mint May 12, 2016 21:14 UTC