The authorities is silent on the motion taken in opposition to TV channels in a case linked to media reporting on the Tablighi Jamaat gathering at a Delhi mosque in violation of virus restrictions, the Supreme Court mentioned at this time, stressing on the necessity of a “regulatory mechanism”.
“The government is silent on the action that has been taken and the power it has to regulate the TV channels. If there is no regulatory mechanism, create one or else we will hand it over to outside agency. Regulation cannot be left to the NBA (News Broadcasters Association),” Chief Justice SA Bobde mentioned at this time, including that the highest court docket isn’t glad with the center’s affidavit which was shared within the prime court docket, the second in the previous couple of weeks.
Today’s listening to got here practically a month after the highest court docket berated the federal government for having a junior officer file what it known as an “extremely offensive and brazen” response.
“First, you did not file a proper affidavit and then you filed an affidavit which did not deal with the two important questions. This way it cannot be done Mr Mehta… we are not satisfied with your reply. We asked you tell what action taken. But not a whisper in your affidavit,” the bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde instructed Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, underlining that the federal government didn’t take care of the Cable TV Act in its response because it highlighted that “applicability of Cable TV Act in controlling media has a great consequence in this country”.
“Tell us what’s the present legal regime you have… you haven’t told anything,” the highest court docket mentioned. The Solicitor General instructed the court docket {that a} contemporary affidavit might be filed.
The center has defended the media on this case and mentioned in its response to the Supreme Court that there was “no instance of bad reporting”.
The Supreme Court final month pulled up the center on its affidavit and mentioned it “must tell us instances of bad reporting” and what motion had been taken. “Freedom of speech is one of the most abused freedoms in recent times,” Chief Justice SA Bobde had mentioned through the listening to final month.
The assembly in March generated an enormous controversy because it grew to become a coronavirus super-spreader with many circumstances throughout the nation linked to those that had attended the gathering.
The authorities has instructed the court docket that it has blocked over 740 hyperlinks on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, which linked coronavirus with faith.
Last month, the federal government was requested to file one other affidavit by the Secretary of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, on the petition looking for motion in opposition to some TV channels.
“You cannot treat this court the way you are treating it. Some junior officer has filed the affidavit. Your affidavit is evasive and says petitioner shows no instance of bad reporting. You may not agree but how you can say there is no instance of bad reporting shown,” the Chief Justice had questioned.
