According to Article 19(1)(a), all citizens of India have the right to freedom of speech and expression but subject to Article 19(2) that puts restrictions regarding public morality, decency, contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence. There is some disclaimer shown before the show and it is a must if there are scurrilous comments. It reads: “All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.” The disclaimer may be worded differently depending on the show, and is issued as a bulwark against legal action.
Can legal action be initiated against TV shows which joke in the name of, or scandalously portray, dark-skinned, fat and other categories of people?
