Media cannot be stopped from reporting news

The Supreme Court reprimanded the Election Commission

New Delhi – The media cannot be prevented from reporting the views expressed in a hearing by the Court, saying this, the Supreme Court reprimanded the Election Commission. The Madras High Court had reprimanded the Central Election Commission for violating the Covid-19 protocols during political rallies and election campaigns. The Election Commission must be charged with the crime of murder, said the Court. The Central Election Commission filed a petition in the Supreme Court after the media reported the Court’s oral observation. During the hearing on this petition, the Court declined to stop the media from reporting the news.

#NewsUpdate | SC reserves its order in the EC plea seeking directions to media houses to refrain from reporting on oral observations that are made during court proceedings.

'Take the remark by Madras HC in the right spirit … Can't stop media from reporting'

Details by Harish. pic.twitter.com/YzQx4IYv4K

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) May 3, 2021

Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing on behalf of the Election Commission, said that the media should be stopped from broadcasting the oral observations of the Court. Similarly, a crime cannot be registered on the oral observations of the Court. On this, the Supreme Court said, ‘Media cannot be stopped from reporting oral observations made by judges during course of hearing as they are also in the Public interest’.

The hearing saw a discussion in the Court between the advocate and the judges on the importance of the rights of the public to know the Court’s proceedings as well as the nature of the observations that judges make from time to time. The top Court explained that there is a vital public interest to know the process that goes on before the Court comes to a final judgement and the media helps in maintaining the sanctity of this process.