SC was hearing petitions by Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind, Peace Party and others regarding the media coverage of Tablighi Jamaat meet in Delhi last year.
The Supreme Court of India on Thursday, said that Television programmes and news that instigates people to violence should be actively controlled. The apex court further suggested that the laws regarding this be tightened.
The court was hearing petitions by Jamiat Ulema-I-Hind, Peace Party and others regarding the media coverage of the Tablighi Jamaat meet in Delhi last year. The Supreme Court has issued notices to the government, the Press Council of India and the Broadcasting Association.
"Prevention of instigation is an important part of maintaining law and order and the government has done nothing to address these issues," the court said in the backdrop of a series of controversies over the matter last year."Fair and truthful reporting is not a problem. When projected in a manner to agitate others, it is a problem," said Chief Justice of India SA Bobde, who was leading a bench of Justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian.
The apex court said it is not interested in people saying anything on TV but it is concerned about those programmes which have instigation effect. When the Centre argued that it has stopped telecast in a few cases, Chief Justice Bobde said, "Fact is that there are programmes which has the effect of instigating people. You (the government) do nothing about it. It can happen either way. Instigation can be against either community."
Referring to the internet shutdown on Republic Day after the violence during the tractor rally held by protesting farmers, the Chief Justice said, "Yesterday, you shut down internet due to farmer's rally. The focus is not on farmers, but you have shut internet mobile. These are problems that can arise everywhere."
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench that there are self-regulatory bodies like the broadcaster associations and News Broadcasters Standards Authority (NBSA) also has its own system. "Now, we are in the era of OTT. There was DTH, cable service etc too. We can lay down all the system before you," Mehta told the bench.
The bench asked the parties to file their affidavits in the matter within three weeks and said the matter will be heard thereafter.
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