This article considers the potential malicious application of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in India: constitutional rights versus public order. Legal precedents are discussed, as well as judicial interventions, because on freedom and control there is a continued tension. The analysis of the invocation of Section 144 to curtail political activities, suppress protests, enact internet shutdowns, and question emergency powers, rather than civil liberties, is valuable. This article advocates for more defined rules that would prevent the law from being misused, yet at the same time, maintain peace.
This article considers the potential malicious application of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in India: constitutional rights versus public order. Legal precedents are discussed, as well as judicial interventions, because on freedom and control there is a continued tension. The analysis of the invocation of Section 144 to curtail political activities, suppress protests, enact internet shutdowns, and question emergency powers, rather than civil liberties, is valuable. This article advocates for more defined rules that would prevent the law from being misused, yet at the same time, maintain peace.