"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 Court added.
The Supreme Court on Monday quashed criminal defamation proceedings filed by a lawyer against the owner of a Madhya Pradesh-based Hindi daily newspaper, Sunday Blast.
While hearing the pleas earlier, a different bench of the Court had stated that news channels often give space for hate speech and then escape without any sanctions.