Supreme Court (SC) rules on hate speech legislation on April 29, 2026

Key facts

• A Supreme Court (SC) bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta held that the existing framework of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) adequately addresses hate speech.
• The SC noted that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) provides for the registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) in cognisable offences.
• The Law Commission 267 report, dated March 23, 2017, suggested legislative measures and amendments to address evolving societal challenges regarding hate speech.
• The SC cited the Lalita Kumari judgment, which mandates that police are bound to register an FIR upon the disclosure of a cognisable offence.
• Legal recourse for non-registration of FIRs is available under Section 154(3), Section 156(3), and Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
• Corresponding legal remedies under the BNSS include Section 175 for approaching a Magistrate and Section 223 for filing a complaint.
• In 2018, the SC issued specific guidelines to control hate crimes, mob violence, and lynching, which included the appointment of nodal officers and fast-tracked trials.