CJI DY Chandrachud Expresses Disapproval Of Manipur High Court Admitting PIL Seeking To Quash Editors Guild Report

On Friday, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud expressed his disapproval of the manner in which the Manipur High Court admitted a PIL seeking to quash the fact-finding report published by the Editors Guild of India (EGI) on the ethnic violence in Manipur. The bench led by the CJI and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra was hearing the petition challenging the Manipur Police's FIR against members of the EGI over the report.

In the proceedings, the Supreme Court orally remarked that the complaint filed against the EGI members was "a counter-narrative of the government" and that even if the EGI's report is assumed to be false, making false statements in an article, by itself, was not an offence under Section 153A of the IPC. It may be noted that the Supreme Court has granted two weeks interim protection to the EGI journalists from coercive actions based on the FIR.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the EGI members, informed the bench that the Manipur High Court yesterday admitted a Public Interest Litigation seeking to quash the EGI's fact finding report.

CJI Chandrachud expressed disapproval of the manner in which the Manipur High Court recently entertained a PIL against the EGI report. He remarked–

"The manner in which that PIL is entertained by the Chief Justice of the High Court...let me not say much more as the head of the family. But surely there are more pressing matters to be entertained than these kinds of PILs."

The CJI was referring to the PIL filed by International Meeiteis Forum seeking to quash the EGI's report. The PIL had also sought for a direction to the State and Central Government not to rely upon the EGI Report and also debar any authority/agency to refer the same as authenticated report.

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As per the PIL, the EGI report lacked authenticity and caused prejudice to the law and order situation of the State of Manipur. It added that the report was "half-baked", consisted of "baseless information, wrong data, false news, fabricated, ill motivated and sponsored news".

According to the PIL, the "biased and baseless" reporting had added fuel to the fire burning the State of Manipur. The PIL alleged that the EGI report dated "clearly showed its nexus with narco-terrorists group and its violation of journalism ethics" and it acted as a "mouth piece for armed Kuki militants and narcoterrorism".

On September 14, 2023, the High Court admitted the PIL and issued notice to the EGI and other respondents.

Today, while extending the interim relief for the EGI members, the CJI-led bench noted that the EGI went to Manipur for the fact-finding mission on an invitation by the Indian Army.

"The Army writes to the Editors Guild of India. The Army says that there is partisan reporting, please come and make a proper report. They go to the ground. They may be right or wrong but that is about free speech is all about", CJI said during the hearing.