Fourth Right: Who does the Official Secrets Act really protect?
By Pragadish Kirubakaran in Media News on Friday, 20th February 2026 at 2:47pm
Image edited by Dinesh Raj M
There’s something oddly convenient about a law that doesn’t define what a “secret” is.
India’s Official Secrets Act, 1923, was drafted by a colonial government that feared pamphlets more than policy failures. A century later, it continues to sit on our statute books, quietly powerful, vaguely worded and occasionally unsheathed when information leaks become politically uncomfortable.
The law criminalises the unauthorised disclosure of government information deemed “secret.” That includes documents, sketches, plans, models and even oral communication. The penalty can stretch up to 14 years’ imprisonment in cases of espionage. Courts can conduct closed-door hearings. Media organisations can face liabili...
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