Supreme Court junks plea seeking new legislation for hate speech
The Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking new legislation to criminalize hate speech and rumour-mongering, stating that existing laws are sufficient to address the issue. The court emphasized that hate speech undermines constitutional values like fraternity and societal harmony, and stressed the responsibility of public figures to exercise restraint in public discourse. It also encouraged the government and legislative bodies to consider recommendations from the Law Commission's 2017 report on hate speech while affirming that current legal mechanisms are adequate.
- ▪The Supreme Court dismissed a plea by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay for separate criminal offences for hate speech and rumour-mongering.
- ▪The court held that existing penal laws sufficiently address hate speech and rejected the notion of a legislative vacuum on the issue.
- ▪Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta stated that hate speech contradicts the constitutional value of fraternity and harms social harmony.
- ▪The court referred to the Law Commission’s March 2017 report and suggested the Centre and states consider its proposed amendments on hate speech.
- ▪The judgment clarified that prior sanction under Sections 196 or 197 of the CrPC is not required at the FIR registration stage for hate speech complaints.
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Supreme Court junks plea seeking new legislation for hate speechThe Supreme Court emphasized public figures' duty to avoid hate speech, stating it undermines fraternity and societal harmony.Published on: Apr 30, 2026 7:25 AM ISTBy Abraham ThomasShare viaCopy link The Supreme Court on Wednesday reminded public figures of their duty to exercise restraint in public discourse, holding that hate speech is antithetical to the constitutional value of fraternity and strikes at the moral fabric of our Republic.The court said the problem was not one of legislative vacuum, but of inadequate or uneven invocation of existing legal processes.
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