New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today said it will first peruse the records based on which the Centre had issued an advisory barring the media from broadcasting the controversial documentary India’s Daughter and then decide whether to entertain the plea for lifting the ban on the video’s telecast.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice R S Endlaw asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to place before it, the records based on which the advisory was issued and listed the matter for further hearing on April 15.
The court was hearing two Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed by law students who sought lifting of the ban on the broadcast.
On March 12, another bench of the court, while refusing to lift the ban, had observed that media trials tend to influence judges by subconsciously creating pressure.
It had also said that although it is prima facie not opposed to airing of the documentary, it should be released after the Supreme Court decides on the appeals of the convicts in the matter.
The court was also of the view that the documentary could ‘interfere with the justice system’.
On March 4, a trial court had banned the broadcast of the interview of the December 16 gangrape convict Mukesh Singh. The interview was allegedly conducted in July 2013 inside Tihar jail.
The trial court had restrained the media from broadcasting or publishing the interview of Mukesh after the Delhi Police moved a plea seeking the restraint.
The ministry had also issued an advisory to all television channels not to broadcast it.
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