Karnataka High Court: Foreign Firms Cannot Invoke Free Speech Right Under Article 19

The Karnataka High Court ruled that foreign companies cannot claim the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.

Justice M. Nagaprasanna delivered the judgment in X Corp v. Union of India, holding that the right is available only to Indian citizens. The Court also upheld the validity of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and the government’s Sahyog portal.

The Court observed that intermediaries are bound to comply with Indian laws and cannot seek constitutional protections reserved for citizens.