Net freedom

SC constraints on govt actions are welcome

In a major pronouncement, the Supreme Court has declared that any action by an official of the state that shuts down the internet in any part of India must be temporary, and adhere to the doctrine of proportionality. In Anuradha Bhasin vs Union of India, the apex court last week noted that freedom of speech and the right to carry on trade or business were provided protection by Article 19(1) of the Constitution, and that the internet was a crucial method by which these rights were exercised. In the past, the Kerala High Court had also declared that access to