The Newspaper (price and page) Act, 1956, was challenged in the Supreme Court by
(A) The pioneer
(B) Sakal
(C) Gujarat Samachar
(D) The Thanthi
Correct Ans: (B)
Explanation:
The Newspaper (Price and Page) Act, 1956, tried to regulate newspaper pricing and the number of pages they could print. The government claimed this law would prevent large newspapers from dominating and help smaller publications survive. However, Sakal newspaper strongly opposed it and decided to challenge the law in court.
As a result, the case Sakal Papers Ltd. v. Union of India (1962) reached the Supreme Court. The newspaper argued that this law directly violated press freedom. Since newspapers rely on editorial independence, such restrictions could limit their ability to publish news freely. The Court carefully reviewed the case and, ultimately, ruled in Sakal’s favor.
The Supreme Court struck down the Act, stating that it violated Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and expression. Even though the government claimed the law was necessary for fair competition, the Court disagreed. It emphasized that economic regulations cannot control editorial freedom. If such restrictions were allowed, the government could easily suppress critical journalism.
Consequently, this ruling became a landmark decision in Indian media law. It reinforced that newspapers must have the right to decide their pricing and content without interference. In conclusion, Sakal’s legal battle helped protect press freedom, ensuring that journalism remains independent and unrestricted.
