Ajay Goswami v Union of India (2006) | Newspapers, Obscenity & Children Explained

Case 9 of 30 in Law Easy's Media Law series. Ajay Goswami v. Union of India, Supreme Court of India, decided 2006. FACTS Ajay Goswami petitioned the Supreme Court, complaining that leading newspapers carried semi-nude pictures and sexual content that children could easily see. He wanted the Court to order controls to protect minors. WHAT THE COURT HELD In 2006 the Supreme Court dismissed the petition. The test of obscenity is the view of an ordinary person of common sense and prudence, not a hypersensitive person, and nudity alone is not obscene. In shielding minors, the adult population cannot be restricted to reading only what is fit for children. Remedies such as Press Council norms and the criminal law already exist, and the petitioner had not shown a need to curtail press freedom. EXAM POINT The Court recognised the importance of protecting minors, but it did not declare that newspapers may print obscene material. PREVIOUS CASE: Director General, Doordarshan v. Anand Patwardhan - https://youtu.be/7qB-8sOOPYw NEXT CASE: S. Khushboo v. Kanniammal - https://youtu.be/IBhs04GOSDY FULL PLAYLIST (all 30 cases in order): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY-t71WbMh6k COMPLETE LECTURE (all 30 cases, 1 hour 52 minutes): https://youtu.be/8AFvktrLPM4 Made for LL.B. students and for CLAT PG, UGC NET Law and judiciary exam preparation. Subscribe to Law Easy for the full law course. Notes: https://www.thelaweasy.com #MediaLaw #Obscenity #LawEasy