Calcutta High Court refuses to restrict ABP Ananda from airing interview of sitting judge

The Calcutta High Court has refused to restrict news channel ABP Ananda from airing an interview of a sitting judge of the High Court, Bar and Bench reported.

A bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Rajarshi Bharadwaj, was hearing a petition which claimed the interview was against the Restatement of Values of Judicial Life, adopted by the Supreme Court in May 1997, and also the Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct.

The interview in question appears to be with Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay.

Arguing against the broadcast, the advocate general of West Bengal, SN Mukherjee, said “nothing should be permitted which can affect the reputation of the institution”.

But the bench said it has “full faith” that judges of the court would have “due regard” to the Restatement of Values of Judicial Life while making “any statement at any occasion”.

The order added that “there is no material on record to show that on what issue, if any, the Hon’ble Judge is going to speak”. “We find that the petition is based upon mere apprehension with incomplete details. The petitioner has also failed to disclose his full credentials. Thus, no ground for granting the prayer in the writ petition is made out.”

The bench also said it expects ABP Ananda “in the larger public interest” to “not telecast or broadcast anything which may have adverse effect on the image of the judiciary”.