SHILLONG: The Editors Guild of India on Monday expressed distress over the Meghalaya High Court’s order in a contempt case against The Shillong Times including its Editor and Publisher for reporting the proceedings of the Court.
“The order, which among other things imposes a fine along with a threat of imprisonment and a ban on the publication, is intimidatory and undermines press freedom,” a statement issued by the Editors Guild said.
“It is ironical that the judiciary which should uphold press freedom has instead issued an order that militates against freedom of expression. The Guild urges the judiciary to exercise its constitutional powers with utmost caution and care so that the role of a free media in a democracy is duly respected,” it said.
IJU concerned
The Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has also expressed deep concern over the judgment of the Meghalaya High Court holding the Editor and Publisher of The Shillong Times to be contemnors of the court for publishing a report on its judgement over its row with the state government on withdrawal of perks and facilities for retired judges.
The court on March 8 asked the editor Patricia Mukhim and publisher Shobha Chaudhuri to sit in a corner in the court hall until rising of the court and imposed a fine of two lakh rupees. If the fine is not paid in a week, they will be imprisoned for six months and the newspaper will be banned, the court ordered.
In a statement on Monday, member of the Press Council of India (PCI) and President of Indian Journalists Union (IJU) Amar Devulapalli and Secretary-General Sabina Inderjit said it was unfortunate that the high court refused to accept the technical objections of their lawyers and an unconditional apology tendered by the Editor and Publisher and proceeded to punish them. It even went to the extent of threatening to impose a ban on the newspaper if they failed to pay the fine, thus putting scores of jobs at risk as well as curtailing freedom of speech and expression.
“It seems, the reaction of the court is disproportionate to the cause of contempt,” the IJU statement said.
The Northeast India Federation of Journalists (NIFJ), an affiliate of Indian Journalists Union (IJU), also expressed deep concern over the judgment.
NWMI plea for sagacity
The Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) has also expressed concern over the order.
“The High Court’s judgement appears to be excessive and disproportionate to the perceived misdemeanor of the contemnors. It is also severe and punitive, as the order clearly states that the default of the payment of the fine, would result in the newspaper ‘the so-called The Shillong Times automatically closed down (banned),’ a statement issued by the NWMI on Monday said.
“This unprecedented order refers to the imposition of fine as a closure but also speaks of a ban of the newspaper in the same breath. The NWMI is deeply concerned that the judges did not give credence to the unqualified apology tendered by the Editor and Publisher of The Shillong Times and urges the court to accept the apology in the spirit it was given,” it said.
The NWMI also expressed dismay over the increasing use of the provision of contempt of court to suppress dissent or alternative viewpoints. “Contempt of court is being applied widely and hangs like the proverbial sword of Damocles over the media,” the statement said.
“The NWMI fears that this order, if carried out, could not only result in the intimidation of the individuals concerned but could also deter freedom of expression and threaten press freedom in the country as a whole,” it said while urging the court to take a “sagacious approach to this issue and thereby help preserve the media’s crucial role as the fourth pillar of democracy”.
