The government has urged the high court to appoint an Amicus Curiae or a panel to assist the court. (Proceedings)
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court should consider regulating digital media before electronic media when it comes to setting standards, as it has much more impact, the government told the high court.
In a statement on setting standards for electronic media ahead of today’s hearing, the government has said that the court must first look at digital media because of its scope and impact.
“Digital media has a faster reach, potential to go viral due to applications like WhatsApp and Facebook,” reads the Center’s affidavit to the Supreme Court.
“Digital media has a serious impact and because of its potential, the court must first take digital media,” he says.
The government also says there are “sufficient frameworks and judgments” about electronic and print media. “The question of balancing freedom of expression and responsible journalism has already been governed by legal provisions and sentences,” he says, adding that electronic media are governed by previous cases and precedents.
The government has also urged the high court to appoint Amicus Curiae, a friend of the court, or a panel to help the court decide the guidelines.
The center’s affidavit is linked to a case against a private television channel, Sudarshan TV, for a program claiming that “Muslims are infiltrating” government services. Upon request, the court suspended the program on the grounds that it is trying to vilify Muslims. “You cannot target a community and mark it in a particular way,” the high court said on Tuesday, preventing Sudarshan TV from broadcasting its episodes of “UPSC Jihad” on the “Bindas Bol” program.
At Tuesday’s hearing, the Supreme Court raised concerns about the PRT race and “sensationalism” on television and had said it would establish a panel to suggest standards for electronic media. Journalistic freedom is not absolute, said the judges, who asked a panel of five distinguished citizens to develop standards for electronic media.
The court’s keen observations were linked to concerns about gruesome, unbounded and often questioned about the ethics of investigations into Sushant Singh Rajput’s death on some channels.
When the Press Council of India said that there are regulations, Judge DY Chandrachud replied: “Really? If things had been so good then we would not have to watch what we see on TV every day.”
The Association of News Broadcasters has said in its affidavit that if any channel violates the code and is found guilty in an investigation, they should be fined one lakh of rupees.
.
