freedom of speech and expression without any reference to
“the press”. Third, under the US Constitution, speech may be
abridged,
whereas
under
our
Constitution,
reasonable
restrictions may be imposed. Fourth, under our Constitution
such restrictions have to be in the interest of eight designated
subject matters - that is any law seeking to impose a restriction
on the freedom of speech can only pass muster if it is
proximately related to any of the eight subject matters set out in
Article 19(2).
16.
Insofar as the first apparent difference is concerned, the
U.S. Supreme Court has never given literal effect to the
declaration that Congress shall make no law abridging the
freedom of speech.
The approach of the Court which is
succinctly stated in one of the early U.S. Supreme Court
Judgments, continues even today.
In Chaplinsky v. New
Hampshire, 86 L. Ed. 1031, Justice Murphy who delivered the
opinion of the Court put it thus:“Allowing the broadest scope to the language and
purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment, it is well
understood that the right of free speech is not
16