Over a year before a civil court imposed an ex-parte injunction on journalists from publishing or circulating allegedly unverified and defamatory material against Adani Enterprises, the Supreme Court had been worried about courts recognising ‘SLAPP’ suits across jurisdictions.
‘SLAPP’ stands for ‘Strategic Litigation against Public Participation’, a three-judge Bench headed by then Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud had written in a May 2024 judgment.
‘Unsustainable’: Delhi court quashes gag order against journalists in Adani defamation case
“It is an umbrella term used to refer to litigation predominantly initiated by entities that wield immense economic power against members of the media or civil society, to prevent the public from knowing about or participating in important affairs in the public interest. We must be cognisant of the realities of prolonged trials… While granting ad-interim injunctions in defamation suits, the potential of using prolonged litigation to prevent free speech and public participation must also be kept in mind by courts,” the Bench had cautioned in the verdict in Bloomberg Television Production Services India Private Limited and others versus Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited case.
