Shephali REPORTABLE IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION (L) NO. 9792 OF 2023 Kunal Kamra, Indian inhabitant, aged 34 years, Residing at C-33, Kataria Colony, Cadell Road, Mahim, Mumbai 400 016. …Petitioner ~ versus ~

Union of India, Represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, having its office at Electronics Niketan, 6 CGO Complex, Pragati Vihar Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003. …Respondent SHEPHALI SANJAY MORMARE WITH Digitally signed by SHEPHALI SANJAY WRIT PETITION (L) NO. 14955 OF 2023 MORMARE Date: 2024.01.31 18:30:50 +0530 Editors Guild of India, having their registered office at B-62, Gulmohur Park (first floor), New Delhi 110

049. …Petitioner ~ versus ~

Union of India, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, having office at Electronics Niketan, 6 CGO Complex, Pragati Vihar Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003. …Respondent WITH INTERIM APPLICATION (L) NO. 17704 OF 2023 IN WRIT PETITION (L) NO. 14955 OF 2023

1. News Broadcasters &

Digital Association, Through its Secretary General, Mrs Annie Joseph, Age – 67 years, Registered Office at: FF-42, Omaxe Sqaure, Commercial Centre, Jasola, New Delhi 110 025.

2. Bennett, Coleman &

Company Limited, Through its Authorized Signatory Mr Sanjay K Agarwal, Age – 54 years, Having Office at Trade House, Ground Floor, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai 400 013.

3. TV 18 Broadcast Limited, Through its Authorized Signatory Mr Satyajit Sahoo, Age – 39 years, Having Office at Empire Complex, 414, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel West, Mumbai 400 013. …Applicants In The Matter Between Editors Guild of India, having their registered office at B-62, Gulmohur Park (first floor), New Delhi 110

049. …Petitioner ~ versus ~

Union of India, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, having office at Electronics Niketan, 6 CGO Complex, Pragati Vihar Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003. …Respondent WITH CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 7953 OF 2023 Association of Indian Magazines, Registered office at E-3 Jhandealan Estate, New Delhi 110 055 Through its President Srinivasan B R/o Gemini House, Old No.

58, New No. 36, 3rd Main Road, Gandhinagar, Adyar, Chennai 600 020. …Petitioner ~ versus ~

Union of India, through the Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, having its office at Electronics Niketan, 6 CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003. …Respondent APPEARANCES for the petitioner Mr Navroz Seervai, in wpl/9792/2023 — Senior Advocate, and Kunal Kamra Mr Darius Khambata, Senior Advocate with Arti Raghavan, Vrinda Bhandari, Gayatri Malhotra, Abhinav Sekhri & Tanmay Singh, i/b Meenaz Kakalia.

for the petitioner Mr Shadan Farasat in wpl/14955/2023 — with Hrishika Jha & Natasha Editors’ Guild Maheshwari, i/b Bimal Rajsekhar.

for the applicant Mr Arvind Datar, in ial/17704/2023 — Senior Advocate news broadcasters with Nisha Bhambani, Rahul & digital Unnikrishnan & Bharat association Manghani, i/b Gautam Jain.

for the petitioner Mr Gautam Bhatia in wp/7953/2023 — with Radhika Roy, i/b Aditi Association of Saxena.

Indian Magazines for respondent UoI Mr Tushar Mehta, in all three Solicitor General &

petitions Mr Devang Vyas, Additional Solicitor General, With Rajat Nair, Gaurang Bhushan, Aman Mehta, DP Singh, Savita Ganoo, Anush Amin, Vaishnavi.

Present for the Bhuvnesh Kumar, Addl Secretary, Respondents Vikram Sahay, Director &

Ritesh Kumar Sahu, Scientist D.

CORAM : G.S.Patel &

Neela Gokhale, JJ.

RESERVED ON : 29th September 2023 PRONOUNCED ON : 31st January 2024 ORAL JUDGMENT (Per GS Patel J):-

CONTENTS (The soft copy of this judgment in PDF is bookmarked to facilitate navigation).

A. INTRODUCTION & OVERVIEW ...................................... 7 B. THE PETITIONERS, THEIR CONCERNS &

THE PRAYERS ...............................................................12 C. GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND ARBITRARINESS ....................................