Yesterday, the Supreme Court struck down the reviled Section 66A of the Information Technology Act in its entirety for violating the fundamental right of speech and expression. Before you bring out the champagne, have a look at some other laws that are still alive and kicking.

Section 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been around since 1860 and its wordings are more “vague” than 66A. It relates to “public mischief” and penalises the making, publishing or circulation of statements, rumours or reports likely to cause “fear” or “alarm” to the public. It also penalises statements that are likely to incite, “any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community” and those containing “rumour or alarming news which is likely to create or promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities.”