Exception 2 to Sec 499 IPC
Law of Defamation of public men.. In shortest form.
1) Every citizen has a right to comment on those acts of public men which concerns him as citizen of the country...A writer in a public paper has the same right, and it is his privilage, if indeed it is not his duty, to comment on acts of public men which concern public.
Vide : E.I. Howard v M. Mull, 1866 (1) BHC (Appx) lxxxv,xci
2) Supreme Court : Those who fill a public position must not be too thin skinned in reference to comments made upon them. Whoever fills a public position renders himself open to attack. He must accept an attack as a necessary, though unpleasant, appendage to his office.
Vide : Kartar Singh AIR 1956 SC 541
Haresh Raichura
24/7/2015