Media in war zones, why not at demolition site: HC
Citizen represented by press, media should be given access, says court
The single judge bench headed by Justice Challa-Kodandaram of Telangana High Court on Wednesday questioned the Telangana government as to why the electronic media and press people are not permitted to cover and report on the demolition of the secretariat.
“The media and press are allowed in war zones subject to their possessing valid identity given by the concerned authorities. The press and media required to be fed with the information (videos and photographs) of the demolition, which can be disseminated to them, as such information is ready with state public relation officials. A citizen is represented by the press. Hence, the press should be given access to the information which they require on time, failing which the news becomes stale,” observed Kodandaram.
The judge was hearing the petition filed by G. Sampath, bureau chief of a Telugu news channel and newspaper (V6) seeking a direction to permit the media to report and telecast the ongoing demolition of the secretariat at Saidabad as the media persons are restrained from covering secretariat buildings.
Counsel for the petitioner, Naveen, informed the court that around 400 police personnel are deployed at the secretariat and have restricted entry to all including media and press, thereby depriving press of its freedom in a democracy. A citizen of the state has every right to know what is going on at the site where the demolition is in progress.
Advocate general, B.S. Prasad, informed the court that he needs to get clear instructions from the government on this issue and sought an adjournment. The case was adjourned to Thursday.
However, Kodandaram observed “So far as the press and media is concerned, unless it is a prohibitory area, they are supposed to be provided free access. Unless there is something which endangers the lives of press and media personnel, we cannot deny them access.”