Is it legal to criticize political leaders on social media in India?

Yes. The Supreme Court in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) struck down Section 66A of the IT Act, affirming that online criticism is protected under Article 19(1)(a).

Political speech enjoys heightened protection, but limits under Article 19(2) still apply; defamation, hate speech, and incitement to violence remain punishable.

The Court held that digital expression deserves the same constitutional protection as traditional speech, ensuring citizens can freely criticize leaders without fear of arbitrary censorship, provided it does not cross into unlawful expression.