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Tribune News Service
New Delhi, October 22
The Supreme Court on Monday asked media regulators to explain why they did not inform the police about media organisations and journalists revealing the names of victims of sexual offences.
A Bench of Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta wondered why Press Council of India (PCI), News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA), Editors Guild of India and the Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) did not initiate prosecution against erring journalists and organisations.
The media regulators were bound to inform police about the violations committed during reportage of sexual crimes, the Bench noted.
“This is like a velvet fist in a velvet glove… It’s of no use”, said Justice Lokur directing these organizations to respond in three weeks. After perusing NBSA affidavit, the Bench said the organization had not initiated any prosecution against a single offender who revealed the identity of victims of sexual offences.
The NBSA counsel said it dealt with complaints in a robust manner there was a two-tier process for dealing with complaints filed before it.
“If you don’t prosecute when a crime has happened, you can’t claim to be robust… You may as well close down”, the Bench commented.
The Bench – which had on August 2 taken suo motu cognizance of the issue – had on September 20 lifted the blanket ban on media reporting of Muzaffarpur shelter home sexual abuse case imposed by the Patna High Court but had asked journalists to do responsible reporting and not to sensationalise such cases.
It had restrained the electronic media from telecasting or showing the victims of sexual abuse and violence, even in a morphed or blurred form, saying this would be in the interest of such victims.
Sabarimala pleas
The Supreme Court will on Tuesday decide when to take up petitions seeking review of its Constitution Bench verdict allowing entry of women of all age groups into Sabarimala Temple, which has resulted in massive protests.
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