Question

Mark the best option:
Principles:

1. Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution guarantees to all citizens the right to 'freedom of speech and expression'.
2. This freedom includes the right to express one's views and opinions on any issue through any medium, e.g., by word of mouth, writing, printing picture, Rim, movie, etc.
3. Reasonable restrictions may be imposed by the State on this freedom, 'in the interests of the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency, morality, sovereignty and integrity of India, or 'in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offense'
4. While the Apex court has justified pre-censorship of a film because it caters to a mass audience, it has held that if the film is unobjectionable and cannot constitutionally be restricted under Article 19(2), freedom of expression cannot be suppressed on account of threat of demonstration or threats of violence.
5. There is a difference between 'public order' and 'public tranquility', in that such acts as disturbing only the serenity of others may not fall within the term 'public order'.

Facts: Schoen Frederick Muller is an eminent businessman of German origin. He is known to have a fascination for showbusiness. He has recently produced a film on how a group of four detectives from different parts of the world unearths a conspiracy to assassinate a leader at the United Nations, and one of them turns out to be an accomplice in the plan. The film was awarded as the 'Best Motion Picture (Fiction)' in the Berlin Film Festival. The film is taken for exhibition in India by Spread the Word, an agency headed by Ritesh Zakaria, an Indian citizen.

Facts: Ritesh Zakaria wanted to promote the film. As part of one of the publicity campaigns, a three-hour function was organized in a neighborhood park, targeting a larger class of audience. He personally came to promote the film and started talking about detectives and their lifestyle over loudspeakers. It was a re-enactment of one of the scenes in the film. A group of students from the neighborhood get aggravated with the noise and vandalize the site of the event.
Which of the following statements is correct?

Options

• A community of detectives can seek for the film to be banned since it is being used to disturb public order.

• The court will ban the film because it contains objectionable material harmful for the integrity of India.

• Ritesh Zakaria is entitled to the right to freedom of speech and expression.

• None of the above

Answer 1

Ritesh Zakaria is entitled to the right to freedom of speech and expression.