Stay Gag Press Order

The National Alliance of Journalists (NAJ) and the Delhi Union of journalists (DUJ) today, have blasted as: ‘ominous’, and a ‘clear cut case of judicial over-reach’, the Andhra Pradesh High Court order of 15 September 2020, by Chief Justice J.K.Maheshwari, restraining the media from reporting the contents of a FIR filed by the Anti Corruption Bureau of Andhra Pradesh against some very well-connected and well placed individuals, in what is alleged is a big land scam.

In a joint statement today NAJ President S.K.Pande, Secretary General N. Kondaiah and DUJ General Secretary Sujata Madhok , have further stated that such orders directing that news in regard registration of FIR or in context of the said FIR shall not be made public in any electronic, print or social media amounts to a clear gag the press order.

Since a FIR is the first and cardinal step in the criminal justice system, we call upon the Hon’ble High Court of Andhra Pradesh to rescind its order to gag the media. Such gag orders in our opinion, should go lock stock and barrel, to save journalism for tomorrow. Vigilance is the need of the hour.