India's Supreme Court Reaffirms Free Speech, Quashes FIR Against Congress MP

The court criticized judicial and police overreach while emphasizing the protection of artistic and literary expression as vital to democracy.

The Supreme Court of India quashed an FIR filed by Gujarat Police against Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi for posting a poem on social media, ruling that no offense was made out.
The court underscored that freedom of speech is a fundamental right essential for a healthy and dignified democracy, protected under Article 19(1) of the Constitution.
Criticizing the Gujarat High Court for rejecting Pratapgarhi's earlier appeal, the Supreme Court highlighted the judiciary's duty to safeguard constitutional ideals and fundamental rights.
The ruling emphasized that artistic and literary works, including poetry and satire, enrich human life and must be protected, even when unpopular or controversial.
The decision comes against the backdrop of broader debates on free speech in India, including controversies surrounding comedian Kunal Kamra's satirical critique of Maharashtra politics.