Media asked to exercise restraint GANGTOK, Nov 2 – Lauding the media for articulating socio-economic and political aspirations of the people as a fourth pillar of the democratic polity, Sikkim High Court Chief Justice AH Saikia yesterday cautioned it against taking its freedom to an ‘unacceptable’ limit by seeking to conduct trial on its own against individuals or issues.
“The media has appeared to have taken for granted its freedom under the provisions of the Constitution by conducting trial on its own on many issues, including sub-judice matters,” he said while inaugurating a seminar on ‘Freedom of Media and Judicial Activism’ here.
“The fetish with unfettered freedom by the media has not stopped merely with the process of trial on public issues, but it has also started giving verdict on its own and announcing quantum of punishment to whom it believes to be the guilty one,” the Chief Justice observed.
This exercise of freedom of media can not go on unchecked unless it exercises self-restraint, Justice Saikia said. – PTI
