Nizamuddin gathering: Why no curbs on TV channels circulating fake news? SC asks

NEW DELHI, May 27: The Supreme Court on Wednesday came down heavily on those instigating law and order issues by telecasting fake news and wanted to know from the Centre and the Press Council of India (PCI) to respond in two weeks on the action taken against such news channels.
Telling the Centre not to let people instigate law and order issues, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sharad A. Bobde, and Justices A.S. Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy told the Centre that "these are the things that later become law and order issues when not checked."
Chief Justice Bobde asked the petitioners to implead the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) – the apex body of visual media - as a respondent.
The court orders came on a batch of petitions by Jamiat Ulama -i-Hind, DJ Halli Federation of Masaajib Madaaris & Waqf Institute, Abdul Kuddus Laskar, and the Peace Party drawing attention to the alleged fake news carried by certain news channels in the wake of Nizamuddin Markaz congregation that had sparked anxiety about the spread of COVID 19 pandemic.
Appearing for Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, senior counsel Dushyant Dave told the court that such alleged fake news “damaged the secular fabric of the nation.” These broadcasts make out offences under the law and the government remains silent, he said.
As Dave repeatedly urged the court to take the matter seriously, an irked CJI Bobde said: “We take all matters seriously. Don't say repeatedly that take these matters seriously.” At this juncture, CJI Bobde asked the Press Council of India (PCI) “what action it has taken.” The PCI has an easy excuse that it has been set up by an Act of Parliament to deal with only the print media and so it has no say over the TV media
In an earlier hearing of the matter on April 13, the top court had said that it was not going to gag the press and had asked petitioner Jamiat U;lama-I-Hind to make PCI as a party in its plea seeking action against a section of the media trying to “communalise” the Nizamuddin Markaz matter. The court had then said: “We want to take solid and long-term measures “ to address the issue of fake news. The court had also said that “once we take cognizance, people will understand.”