Anchor cannot be held responsible for the views of panellists


 The Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Manmohan delivered a remarkable judgment on 13th June, which should be praised for promoting the freedom of speech and expression as enshrined in the Constitution of India. On 6th June, the Andhra police arrested one Mr K Srinivas Rao, an anchor of the Telugu TV channel Sakshi, for allegedly abetting defamatory and derogatory remarks made by a panellist on his show about Amravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. Amravati is located very close to Vijayawada. The judges stated that the anchor Rao did not make any statement himself; rather, it was one of the participants who contemptuously remarked that Amravati was becoming the ‘capital of sex workers.

There is no doubt that these days, the panellists are invited by the TV channels that subscribe to the views and ideas of those particular channels. They are given the freedom to speak only if they adhere to the channels' views; if their opinions do not suit the channels, the participants are grilled and silenced. This is why panellists often express ideas that are unworthy of their positions. For example, if a newspaper publishes something that is not in good taste, the editor cannot hide behind the excuse that the views belong to the writer, which may not align with the philosophy or thinking of the newspaper. Firstly, the newspaper will not publish anything detrimental to itself, and secondly, if something is deemed inappropriate, it will edit the material. 

Here, however, the Channel anchor stated that it was not its view, but rather the assertion of the guest, V V R Krishnam Raju, who had claimed that Amravati was like a sex capital. It should be noted that the Channel Sakshi is regarded as a mouthpiece of the YSR Congress Party, which is firmly opposed to the Amaravati capital project initiated by the TDP during its previous term in power. Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan asserted that Mr Rao was merely hosting the TV show and that the statement is not attributed to him but to a panellist over whom he had no control. The bench asked for the AP government's response to the petition of the Anchor seeking to quash the FIR against him. However, the Court cautioned Rao not to involve himself in any defamatory statements or permit any panellist to make such a statement on live TV shows.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hamas does not Deserve any support for its thrashing

       Israel and Hamas war started on 7 th October and has already taken the toll of more than 15 thousand human lives. In the past, no friction with Israel has lasted for more than a week but this time it is still continuing despite the passage of nearly six weeks’ time.  In fact, it is no longer a war but a relentless thrashing of the Hamas terrorists and their sympathisers in the Gaza Strip. According to the latest reports almost the entire Gaza Strip has been occupied by Israel’s forces. Hamas terrorists are hiding like rats in the tunnels, which they have constructed mainly under the hospitals to shield themselves. Terrorists are now targeting hospitals, killing innocent people and blaming Israel’s forces to gain sympathy from the world. But no country has till now come forward to join the war against Israel. Even Iran, Lebanon and Pakistan do not have the courage to face the wrath of Israel.   As a matter of fact, the world can learn a lesson ...
Read more

Law to Weed out Touts is Inadequate and Needs to be Done More

  Law to Weed out Touts is Inadequate and Needs to be Done More The presence of touts is ubiquitous in any court, be it district, High Court or even the Supreme Court. Why only courts- this is a common sight of any government office dealing with the public. So much so, even in the hospitals, touts rule the roost. Police stations remain hovered by the touts all the time. Even an FIR cannot be lodged without the help of the touts. As far as the courts are concerned, touts are found on all their gates itself. Many advocates depend on them because it is they who bring cases to them and in return get good commissions. Many touts have their own independent offices, and they operate by giving a façade of computer operators or typists. That is why, the Advocate Amendment Bill 2023 passed by Parliament the other day is a welcome law.    Verily speaking, the judicial system is swamped with touts. The definition of tout that has been given in the new Advocates (Amendment) Bill o...
Read more

The conduct of Kejriwal and AAP Leaders is Repulsive and Lowest of the Low

 Twenty days have elapsed from the incarceration of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, firstly in ED’s custody and thereafter in judicial custody. L’ affaire Aam Adami Party and Arvind Kejriwal have been controversial for over a year. He and his party have been claiming from housetops for the purity and transparency in public life. But nobody ever imagined that AAP and particularly its leader Kejriwal would plumb to such an unfathomable depth of immorality and opacity. Now leaders of AAP are saying that Kejriwal will continue to run the government from jail. However, the question is how will it be feasible? Will it not be a gross violation of constitutional propriety? Mr Kejriwal had cocked the snook to the summons of the ED nine times and at long last he appeared at the directions  of the court. If he had nothing to conceal in the liquor gate scam, he could have appeared at the first call but always avoided appearing by saying that the summonses of the ED were not...
Read more