{"id":11680,"date":"2026-03-20T14:10:37","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T14:10:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/?p=11680"},"modified":"2026-03-20T14:14:34","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T14:14:34","slug":"chilling-effect-concerns-as-journalists-and-activists-challenge-new-privacy-law-in-supreme-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/20\/chilling-effect-concerns-as-journalists-and-activists-challenge-new-privacy-law-in-supreme-court\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cChilling Effect\u201d Concerns as Journalists and Activists Challenge New Privacy Law in Supreme Court"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"11680\" class=\"elementor elementor-11680\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has-el-gap el-gap-default elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f2b778e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f2b778e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ab78b10\" data-id=\"ab78b10\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e953f8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8e953f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11681 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"566\" height=\"377\" srcset=\"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/RiteBol-4--1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 566px) 100vw, 566px\" \/>Journalists and transparency advocates have approached the Supreme Court of India to challenge recent amendments to the country\u2019s transparency framework, warning that the changes could negatively impact accountability and investigative reporting.<br \/>The petitioners are contesting modifications introduced by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, particularly those linked to the newly enacted privacy law. According to them, these changes weaken existing mechanisms that enable public access to information and could discourage critical journalism by creating a \u201cchilling effect.\u201d<\/p><p>At the center of the dispute are revisions to the Right to Information (RTI) framework, especially concerning the disclosure of \u201cpersonal information.\u201d Previously, such information could be released if it served a larger public interest. Critics argue that the updated provisions narrow this scope, making it more difficult to obtain important details.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has-el-gap el-gap-default elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-49a751b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"49a751b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9a88bed\" data-id=\"9a88bed\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4bef96 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c4bef96\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-size: 16.604px; font-family: 'Public Sans', system-ui, sans-serif; font-weight: var(--title-fw-bold);\">ALSO READ<\/span><\/p><div class=\"post-meta-items meta-above\"><span class=\"meta-item cat-labels\"><a class=\"category term-color-5\" href=\"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/index.php\/category\/featured\/\" rel=\"category\">Featured<\/a><\/span><\/div><section class=\"has-el-gap el-gap-default elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-37fab975 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"37fab975\" data-element_type=\"section\"><div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\"><div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-25ef1db6\" data-id=\"25ef1db6\" data-element_type=\"column\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\"><div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d289fe5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-smartmag-grid\" data-id=\"3d289fe5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"smartmag-grid.default\"><div class=\"elementor-widget-container\"><section class=\"block-wrap block-grid block-sc mb-sm\" data-id=\"6\"><div class=\"block-content\"><div class=\"loop loop-grid loop-grid-base grid grid-1 md:grid-1 xs:grid-1\"><article class=\"l-post grid-post grid-base-post\"><div class=\"media\">\u00a0<\/div><div class=\"content\"><div class=\"post-meta post-meta-a has-below\"><h5 class=\"is-title post-title\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/20\/chilling-effect-concerns-as-journalists-and-activists-challenge-new-privacy-law-in-supreme-court\/\">\u201cChilling Effect\u201d Concerns as Journalists and Activists Challenge New Privacy Law in Supreme Court<\/a><\/span><\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/article><\/div><\/div><\/section><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has-el-gap el-gap-default elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-409f273 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"409f273\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-66ebe55\" data-id=\"66ebe55\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6cd8a29 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6cd8a29\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Activists contend that these changes undermine the principles of participatory democracy by restricting access to information that is essential for public scrutiny. They warn that the law could be used to withhold key details, such as the identities of contractors or officials involved in controversial public projects.<br \/>The government, however, has defended the amendments, stating that they aim to balance citizens\u2019 right to information with the right to privacy. IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has emphasized that the framework continues to follow the principle of \u201cmaximum disclosure and minimum exemptions.\u201d<br \/>Media organizations have also expressed concern about the broader implications of the law. Journalists argue that compliance requirements\u2014such as obtaining consent for the use of personal data\u2014could make investigative reporting significantly more difficult, particularly when subjects are unwilling to cooperate.<br \/>The Editors Guild of India has cautioned that the legislation may hinder newsgathering activities. Similarly, journalist groups, including The Reporters\u2019 Collective, have warned that the risk of substantial financial penalties could encourage self-censorship among reporters as well as the public.<br \/>Additionally, India\u2019s declining position in global transparency rankings has been cited as a related concern. Critics attribute this trend to increasing restrictions and exemptions within the RTI system.<br \/>The Supreme Court is expected to hear several petitions on the matter in the near future.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has-el-gap el-gap-default elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1d8b944 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1d8b944\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b80ec40\" data-id=\"b80ec40\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1aab84 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b1aab84\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h6 style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/index.php\/2023\/12\/13\/the-shadows-secrets-of-greatest-unsolved-heists\/\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>READ MORE<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/h6><h4 class=\"is-title post-title\" style=\"text-align: right;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/legalmitra.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/08\/virtual-crimes\/\"><strong>VIRTUAL CRIMES<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has-el-gap el-gap-default elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-cd05ddf elementor-section-boxed 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