The Court also made some observations regarding the role of the media in the functioning of any democracy, especially to provide accurate information which facilitates active debate by its citizens.
“The impact of media is far-reaching as it reaches not only the people physically but also influences them mentally. It creates opinions, broadcasts different points of view, brings to the fore wrongs and lapses of the Government and all other governing bodies and is an important tool in restraining corruption and other ill-effects of society,” the Court noted.
Further, the Court remarked that it is the duty and responsibility of the media, be it electronic or print, to ensure that they are not providing the public with information that is factually wrong or based on unverified information.
“The role of people in a democracy and that of active debate is essential for the functioning of a vibrant democracy. With this immense power, comes the burden of responsibility. With the huge amount of information that they process, it is the responsibility of the media to ensure that they are not providing the public with information that is factually wrong, biased or simply unverified information,” the Bench said.
Source: Barandbench
