DURLAB SINGH Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition has beenpreferred under sections 439 and 561-A of the Codeof Criminal Procedure against the judgment of theAdditional Sessions Judge, Delhi, dated the 31st ofAugust, 1967. By that judgment the conviction ofthe petitioners under section 292 of the Indian PenalCode and sentences imposed on them by the trial courtin terms of its judgment dated 7th of March, 1967 wereconfirmed.

(2.) I have heard Mr. V.K. Krishna Menon for overthree days and Mr. Vir Sen Sahni has also addressedme in one of this set of seven similar petitions. DurlabSingh is the common petitioner in all of them. He isaccompanied by either of his sons in each case.

(3.) While taking its strides towards civilization thehuman race has through different ages and climes beendeveloping certain standards of decency and morality.Those standards are the anchor sheets of decent existence.The framers of the Constitution of India were not forgetful of that aspect while enacting clause (a) of Article19(1) of the Constitution. By that clause all citizenswere granted right to freedom of speech and expression.Sub-article (2) of Article 19, however, regulated it byproviding: