Delhi Court Refuses RK Pachauri’s Plea For Gag Order On Media, Orders Disclaimer Of Pendency [Read Order]

Observing that “the media by its reporting should throw more 'light rather than generate heat”, a Delhi court on Monday refused to put a gag order on the media from reporting on the issue of allegation of sexual harassment against former TERI chief RK Pachauri but added that any reportage should consider his views or that of his representatives and denote that the matter. Observing that “the media by its reporting should throw more 'light rather than generate heat”, a Delhi court on Monday refused to put a gag order on the media from reporting on the issue of allegation of sexual harassment against former TERI chief RK Pachauri but added that any reportage should consider his views or that of his representatives and denote that the matter is subjudice. Additional district judge Sumit Dass refused to restrain media from reporting on the subject and vacated the order passed by his predecessor on February 25 last year directing the media that if it is going to publish any interview or to speak against Pachauri, they should publish in subtitle that “in any court, the allegations have not been proved and they may not be correct”. Both affront the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and expression.” While visiting the role of media and journalistic ethics in times of cut throat competition, the court concluded the discussion by using a phrase, “the media by its reporting should throw more 'light rather than generate heat' on the subject or issue as the same would not only enlighten the viewers/readers, commensurate with their right to know and being informed rather than stoking the passions or stirring the emotions”.