Mumbai, Dec 05: Underscoring the judiciary’s long-standing role in safeguarding freedom of speech and expression, former Chief Justice of India B. R. Gavai on Friday said the right is not merely an individual liberty but a democratic guarantee that enables dissent, participation and accountability.

He was delivering the K. T. Desai Memorial Lecture 2025 in Mumbai on “Freedom of Speech and Expression: Its Scope and Limitations Under the Constitution”.

CJI traces evolution of Article 19 jurisprudence

The former CJI said the apex court has shaped and reshaped the contours of free speech over the last 75 years. “The evolution of free speech jurisprudence in India reflects a larger constitutional commitment to ensure that the state’s power to restrict expression does not overshadow the citi

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