15 October 2026
A Mere “Academic” Exercise
Last week, in N. Ravi v Speaker, Legislative Assembly Chennai, the Indian Supreme Court dismissed a 17-year-old challenge to the constitutionality of the exercise of legislative privilege under Article 194 to curtail a citizen’s freedom of speech. The issue arose from a resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly ordering the prosecution of 15 journalists of The Hindu for remarks against the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. The Court dismissed the matter on the ground that the resolution ordering their arrest had subsequently been withdrawn, rendering the proceedings a mere “academic exercise”. Continue reading >>
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