Archive · 27 Jul 2026
SC Judge Flags Shrinking Dissent Space in India
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan from the Supreme Court of India spoke about how it's becoming harder for people to express their opinions freely in India.
He mentioned that students who protest are often arrested and have a hard time getting bail.
He also talked about how people who care about the environment are treated like criminals.
Justice Bhuyan gave examples, like young people being arrested for having an Iftar gathering on the Ganga river and someone needing bail just for posting something on Facebook.
He believes that the right to express different views and to protest peacefully is very important in a democracy.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan observed that the space for expressing dissent in India is shrinking.
Students protesting on university campuses face arrest and difficulties in securing bail.
People raising concerns about environmental degradation are often treated as criminals.
Courts are imposing stringent bail conditions that curtail personal liberty.
Justice Bhuyan cited cases of young people denied bail for organizing an Iftar gathering on the Ganga and someone seeking bail for a Facebook post.
- Who
- Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, Supreme Court of India
- What
- Observations on shrinking dissent space and stringent bail conditions
- When
- Sunday (specific date not mentioned)
- Where
- India
- Why
- To highlight concerns about the diminishing space for expressing dissent and the impact of stringent bail conditions on personal liberty.
Government and Authorities
Citizens and Activists
Arrests and Bail Conditions
Government and Authorities
Authorities argue that maintaining law and order is crucial, and stringent bail conditions are necessary to prevent further unrest.
Citizens and Activists
Citizens and activists believe that the current practices infringe on fundamental rights and create an environment of fear.
Environmental Protests
Government and Authorities
Government and authorities maintain that protests must be conducted within legal boundaries to avoid disruption.
Citizens and Activists
Environmental activists argue that their protests are peaceful and necessary to address critical issues of environmental degradation.
- Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
- Supreme Court Justice who raised concerns about shrinking dissent space in India.
- Environmental Degradation
- Issue raised by Justice Bhuyan as a reality that people are concerned about.
- Bail Conditions
- Stringent conditions imposed by courts that curtail personal liberty.
- Iftar Gathering
- Case cited by Justice Bhuyan where young people were denied bail for organizing an Iftar on the Ganga.
- Facebook Post
- Case where a person sought anticipatory bail for a Facebook post criticizing a minister.
- Gulfisha Judgment
- Supreme Court judgment in the Delhi riots case with stringent bail conditions.
