Public spaces for dissent shrinking in India, students arrested for protests: Supreme Court judge
Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan said on Saturday that public spaces for expressing divergent opinions are shrinking in India. He pointed to arrests of students for campus protests and lengthy bail delays as evidence of the trend, warning against the criminalisation of peaceful dissent.
Justice Bhuyan noted that environmental protesters and students increasingly face criminal charges for exercising their right to protest. While courts often grant relief, he said delays are common and restrictive bail conditions discourage legitimate dissent. "It will not be an exaggeration to say that public space for expressing divergent opinion is shrinking in India," he stated.
He raised concerns that courts, despite being responsive, impose stringent bail conditions that indirectly discourage citizens from expressing dissent. Justice Bhuyan emphasised that debate and dissent are essential to democracy and that ordinary activities should not be criminalised.
