General Studies- II: Polity [15 Marks 250 Words]
Answer Structure:
- Introduction: Meaning of democracy
- Body: Constitutional provisions and meaning of freedom of press
- Conclusion: Justice Patanjali sastri on Freedom of Speech
Answer
Introduction
Democracy means a government by persuasion, and unless there is freedom for discussion of political as well as other matters, the polity could not be termed a Democracy and as a natural corollary, the term includes the freedom of the Press as well.
Body
Article 19 (1)(a) guarantees every citizen the right to freedom of speech and expression Though it does not specifically refer to the freedom of press this has been held to be included in the freedom of speech and expression.
Freedom of press does not mean the freedom of the owner or the editor of the newspaper It connotes and covers a freedom of the citizens to express their views through the press .
This means that every citizen is free to express his views beliefs and convictions freely and without inhibitions by word-of-mouth through writing ,Printing ,picturizing or in any other manner
Conclusion
Its importance has been succinctly brought out by justice Patanjali Shastri in the following words
“ Freedom of speech and the press lay at a foundation of all democratic organizations , for without a free political discussion no public education, so essential for the proper functioning of the process of popular government , is possible. A freedom of such amplitude might involve risks of abuse . But the framers of the Constitution may well have reflected with Madison ,who was the leading spirit In the preparation of the first amendment of the Federal Constitution that it is better to leave a few of its noxious branches to their a luxuriant growth than by pruning them away, to injure the vigor of those yielding the proper fruits”
(The model answer provided by us strictly follows the word limit, the above answer is compiled in 267 words.)
Practicing answers sticking to the word limit will aid the aspirants to write answers precisely and to the point avoiding unnecessary things.
(Titles : Introduction, Body and Conclusion are just for reference, aspirants should not write these titles in the answer sheet.)