CJI flags 'communal colour' in news, says it 'brings a bad name to the country'
The bench was hearing pleas that sought action against sections of the media for their coverage of the Tablighi Jamaat event.
While hearing pleas seeking action against some media coverage of the Tablighi Jamaat event last year, Chief Justice of India NV Ramana said some websites and social media platforms "attempt to give communal colour to news".
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Audit of bigotry: How Indian media vilified Tablighi Jamaat over coronavirus outbreakLiveLaw quoted Ramana as saying it "ultimately brings a bad name to the country". "The CJI lamented that web portals are not governed by anything and social media companies listen only to powerful people and not to institutions or common people," the LiveLaw report said. The chief justice also noted there was "no accountability".
In response, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said these issues would be addressed by the Modi government's new IT rules. He asked the court to transfer all pleas challenging the IT rules in various high courts to the Supreme Court.
The bench accordingly listed the transfer plea. The matter will be heard in six weeks.
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