RAS question
Article 19(2) allows reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech on grounds including sovereignty and integrity of India, security of State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, contempt of court, defamation, and incitement to an offence. How many specific grounds are listed?
Correct answer: (D) 8.
Article 19(2) lists eight specific grounds on which reasonable restrictions may be imposed on the freedom of speech and expression.
Explanation
Article 19(2) qualifies the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) by allowing the State to make laws imposing reasonable restrictions on specified grounds. The official constitutional text lists these grounds as the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality, contempt of court, defamation, and incitement to an offence. Counting each listed ground gives eight. The key is to count the legal grounds in the clause, not to merge them into broad themes such as national security or public discipline.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Six is too low because it omits two of the listed grounds in Article 19(2).
- (B) Ten is too high because Article 19(2) names eight grounds, not ten separate grounds.
- (C) Five undercounts the clause, which separately includes grounds such as contempt of court, defamation, and incitement to an offence in addition to broader public-interest grounds.
Concept
This tests Fundamental Rights, especially the limits on Article 19 freedoms. RAS repeatedly asks such provisions because constitutional clauses often turn on exact grounds, exceptions, and counts.