SSR Case / Why no action against media trial: Bombay HC on Sushant's case

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to tell them why it has not initiated any action related to the complaint against media trial in the death case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. This comes after News Broadcaster Association (NBA) implored Bombay HC to not accept the requests of petitioners who sought directions for the formation of a statutory authority to regulate the electronic media. It further stated that it would lead to an end to the independent media.

The NBA also informed the court that Republic TV did not want to abide by the NBA regulations and hence left the association and went on to form its own self-regulating authority. The submissions were made in the public interest. However, the petitioners stated that the self-regulating authorities such as NBA and NBSA were not taking action to curb channels from conducting media trials.

Datar refused the allegations and submitted that they had taken disciplinary and stringent actions against the errant channels by banning its airing for up to three months. It further said that they did not have statutory powers, adjudicating complaints based on the programme code directed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).

He also added that all channels adhered to the self-regulatory norms passed by the authorities and it also submitted that it was an English channel and a regional language channel that had refused to abide by a decision of the NBA and had formed another self-regulating authority. He further concluded that the court should not grant requests of the petitioners and requested it to not exercise its discretionary authority.

After hearing the submissions, the court sought to know whether the independent authorities were formed without any statutory powers and if this was done so that channels could afford to escape by invoking article 19(2) of the Constitution. This also means that when they will be approached by the courts for irresponsible and objectionable reporting, they can escape.

The court asked the MIB to inform it on Wednesday why no action had been taken by the ministry in concern with the complaints related to media trial in the death case of Sushant Singh Rajput.