Supreme Court criticises Indian government for quashing free speech in name of ‘national security’

Top court says national security claims ‘cannot be made out of thin air’

India’s Supreme Court has heavily criticised Narendra Modi’s government for using national security as an excuse to deny legal remedies to citizens – actions that are “not compatible with the rule of law”.

The rebuke came in a judgment against the broadcast ban imposed on Malayalam language news channel MediaOne by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government.

The court was hearing a special leave petition filed by Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd (MBL), which runs the MediaOne channel, against an order issued by southern Kerala state’s high court on 2 March.