The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the presence of a senior Delhi Police officer to address allegations that women journalists were assaulted while covering the recent protests in the national capital. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said the police would be required to explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged incidents.
The development came after Senior Advocate Indira Jaising mentioned a petition filed by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), seeking protection and safeguards for journalists reporting from protests and other public gatherings.
“We'd like some senior officer to remain present here and explain,” the CJI said, indicating that the allegations would need to be addressed by the police.
Jaising informed the bench that advance notice had been served on the Solicitor General. The Court subsequently indicated that the petition would be listed for hearing on Thursday, along with the matter concerning the alleged police action against journalists.
Contempt Petition Alleges Violation Of Supreme Court Order
During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan also mentioned a contempt petition filed by the Freedom Speech Collective. The petition alleges that police personnel assaulted journalists despite the Supreme Court's October 10 order directing that mediapersons covering the protests should not be harassed.
The contempt proceedings raise questions about compliance with the Court's earlier directions concerning the treatment of journalists reporting from protest sites.
The matter is expected to be considered alongside the plea seeking specific safeguards for journalists, particularly women, who may face difficulties while reporting amid police deployment and crowd-control operations.
NWMI Seeks Protection For Women Journalists Covering Protests
In its writ petition, the Network of Women in Media, India has urged the Supreme Court to issue directions ensuring the safety, dignity and professional independence of journalists covering protests and other events of public importance.
The petition argues that the existing inquiry into alleged police excesses does not adequately address the specific challenges faced by journalists. These include restrictions on access to protest locations, detention, forcible removal and other actions that could interfere with independent reporting.
NWMI has sought directions to the Union government to ensure that women journalists engaged in legitimate newsgathering are not subjected to physical handling, intimidation, arbitrary detention or forcible removal merely because they are present at or near a protest, public assembly or crowd-control operation.
