Supreme Courtroom Decide Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy delivering the sixth C. Raghavachari Memorial Lecture on the theme “Mass Media and the Judiciary”, on the Press Membership in Hyderabad on November 8, 2025.
“Democracy can not survive with out freedom of expression”, opined former Supreme Courtroom Decide Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, whereas stressing that the appropriate to free speech isn’t just a authorized idea however a basic reality of life.
Delivering the sixth C. Raghavachari Memorial Lecture on the theme “Mass Media and the Judiciary”, on the Press Membership in Hyderabad, organized by the C. Raghavachari Memorial Belief on Saturday, he asserted that freedom of expression varieties the muse of democracy.
“With out freedom of expression, democracy loses its essence. Whether it is utterly managed, democracy turns into hole,” he noticed.
Justice Reddy stated that governments might try management, however folks and the courts have all the time protected press freedom. Referring to Article 19(1), he recalled how Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s authorities tried to introduce “cheap restrictions” by constitutional amendments, however the courts continued to safeguard free speech.
He additionally recalled how the Supreme Courtroom had struck down authorities makes an attempt to limit newspaper circulation and quoted John Milton, who described freedom of expression as an inseparable a part of human rights.
Commenting on the present media panorama, he stated that social media was not within the arms of the media fraternity. “A handful of the world’s rich elites now management social media,” he reminded, including that the difficulty of regulation is presently below dialogue within the Supreme Courtroom, following a current Bombay Excessive Courtroom judgment.
Justice Reddy recalled that Raghavachari had served as an editor for over three many years, residing modestly with a wage of solely ₹5,000 and commuting by rickshaw. “He was an editor with out earnings, an emblem of values, dedication, and integrity,” he remarked.
Telangana Media Academy Chairman Ok. Srinivas Reddy stated that Dr. BR Ambedkar opposed together with media throughout the constitutional framework, as he wished it to stay free to characterize public opinion.
A big gathering of eminent personalities from the fields of journalism, literature, and regulation have been current.
Revealed – November 08, 2025 07:23 pm IST