Shreya Singhal v. Union of India

The background

Section 66A of the Information Technology Act criminalised sending 'offensive' or 'menacing' messages online in vague, sweeping terms. People were arrested for ordinary social-media posts, prompting a challenge that the provision violated the freedom of speech and expression.

The decision

The Court struck down Section 66A as unconstitutional, holding it vague and overbroad and a chilling restriction on free speech under Article 19(1)(a) that could not be saved by the reasonable restrictions in Article 19(2). It also clarified the limits of intermediary liability, reading down the related rules.

What it changed

The judgment is a cornerstone of digital free speech in India. It established that laws restricting speech must be precise and narrow, and that vague, open-ended speech offences will not survive constitutional scrutiny - protecting millions of internet users from arbitrary prosecution.