Supreme Court: The 3-judge bench of SA Bobde, CJ and AS Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian, JJ has issued notice to the Central government on a petition seeking directions to “restrict assassination of dignity” of individuals, communities, religious saints, religious and political organisations by the broadcasting electronic channels in the name of freedom of the press. “Issue notice returnable four weeks” reads the order.
According to ANI, the petition, filed by advocate Reepak Kansal, said that there are many TV channels that allegedly showed news against religious saint, religious and political organisation in the name of freedom of the press. He sought the intervention of the Supreme Court to issue appropriate orders directing the Union of India to control the “uncontrolled and unregulated” broadcasting electronic channels, who are involved in such kind of alleged activities.
The plea sought the issuance of appropriate order directing the Central government to restrict the media trial, parallel trial, judgmental views and interfering in the administration of justice.
“The top court should issue appropriate order directing the Central government to constitute an independent authority to be known as the Broadcast Regulatory Authority of India (BRAI) for the purpose of regulating and facilitating the development of broadcasting services in India,”
It also sought the issuance of appropriate order directing the respondent, Union of India, to prevent the misuse of airwaves by the broadcasting electronic channels in the name of media, press and journalism.
[Reepak Kansal v. Union of India, 2020 SCC OnLine SC 632, order dated 07.08.2020]
