Media's freedom is a fundamental right and an essential part of the constitution; any campaign to elevate it to the status of a fourth pillar is sheer absurdity

    Some journalists and their so-called organisations seem to possess an abysmally low or almost non-existent understanding of the Indian constitution. They are advocating for the media to be granted the status of a fourth pillar, akin to the Legislature, the Judiciary, and the Executive. The notion of the press as the "fourth pillar" of democracy is widely acknowledged, particularly in democratic nations, though it is not a formal designation recognised across all countries. It serves as a metaphor for the press's role in holding power accountable and informing the public.

In India, the press is often described as the fourth pillar and is constitutionally protected; however, it operates within a framework of laws that balance freedom with other societal values, such as national integrity. While freedom of the press is explicitly provided under the First Amendment of the US Constitution, in India, it is implied under Article 19(1)(a). Hence, the freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right available to every citizen, regardless of their level of education or status.

In this context, a reference can be made to Phoolan Devi, known as the bandit queen, who later became a member of Parliament. She applied to publish a newspaper from her native district of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh. The District Magistrate refused to forward her application to the Registrar of Newspapers of India on the grounds of her illiteracy. The matter escalated to the appellate authority, the Press Council of India. The then-Chairman, Justice P. B. Sawant, summoned the District Magistrate, who appeared along with an Advocate, stating how an illiterate person could serve as the printer, publisher, and editor of a newspaper. Justice Sawant asked whether it was expected that an editor should know everything if a newspaper carried diverse items such as business, sports, politics, crime, and education. The District Magistrate responded that this could be handled by other journalists employed by the newspaper, to which Justice Sawant pointed out that, similarly, Phoolan Devi could employ journalists for her publication. Ultimately, she obtained the necessary permissions to launch the newspaper. This exemplifies the beauty of the Indian Constitution.

Therefore, those demanding that the media be designated as the fourth estate are oblivious to the fact that such inclusion in the fundamental rights ensures full freedom for every journalist. Thus, the demand to establish it as a fourth pillar is not only absurd but impossible, as the basic structure of the constitution cannot be altered, as decided by the Supreme Court in the Keshavanand Bharti case.

 

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