HC issues notice on contempt plea

Srinagar, Aug 02:The High Court of J&K and Ladakh Friday issued notice to authorities on a contempt plea related to the mushrooming of news portals without due procedure of law.

A division bench of Chief Justice (Acting) Tashi Rabstan and Justice Puneet Gupta issued the notice after hearing counsel for Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Forum, an NGO.

The NGO through its General Secretary M M Shuja had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in 2021.

On June 3, 2022, the court disposed of the plea by directing the Principal Secretary, Information Department to take appropriate action “expeditiously” on the mushrooming of news portals without due procedure of law.

While disposing of the PIL, the court had directed the petitioner to approach the concerned authority with a detailed representation giving suggestions therein for stopping the mushrooming of news portals on social media.

“In the event, the petitioner so submits the representation and the suggestions, the Government and the Principal Secretary, Information Department would be free to consider the same and take an appropriate action most expeditiously as may be permissible in law,” the court had said.

In his contempt plea, the petitioner submitted that he filed a detailed representation to the authorities in keeping with the court's directions.

In its plea, the J&K Peoples Forum alleged that several news portals were operating freely without any registration or license from any authority and these news portals are not under the supervision and control of any authority whatsoever.

In the absence of any permission having been granted by the competent authority for running a news portal, the petitioner had submitted that it was sufficient to infer that there is no proper, legal and regulatory mechanism in place at present with the result a state of confusion prevails on the subject as to the genuineness of any news transmitted by such channels and portals.

“The Facebook and WhatsApp journalists have now moved a step ahead by blackmailing the Government as well as private officials, civil contractors etc daily,” the petitioner said.

The petitioner had further contended that it was obligatory upon the authorities to scrutinise the credentials and antecedents of every person holding any direct or indirect position in any media house, media channel or social media group and identify the government employees so that they are made to choose either their employment in the government or in the media house.