NEW DELHI, March 17 -- Though the Supreme Court of India and several High Courts have repeatedly held that freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution is a fundamental right and cannot be suppressed, the Income Tax Department of the Union government disagrees.

In Romesh Thapar vs. State of Madras (1950), the Supreme Court ruled that the press plays a significant role in informing the public and promoting democratic values. Therefore, any attempt to curtail the freedom of the press would violate the right to freedom of expression.

However, asserting that "journalism does not serve any public purpose," the Income Tax authorities on January 27, 2025, refused to extend the philanthropic status to The Reporters' Collecti...