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'We're Now At 161' : SC Judge Refers To India's Sinking Press Freedom Index Rank; Solicitor General Says Ranking Depends On Who Gives It
Awstika Das
10 May 2023 8:40 AM IST
Hope I don’t get misquoted, but in the ranking, we are now at 161, in terms of journalistic freedom : Justice KM Joseph
Supreme Court judge KM Joseph on Tuesday referred to India’s plummeting rank in the World Press Freedom Index published by non-profit organisation Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) earlier this month. India has fallen to the 161st position out of 180 countries as per the 2023 edition of the index, slipping down 11 notches. While hearing a batch of petitions challenging 11 life...
Supreme Court judge KM Joseph on Tuesday referred to India’s plummeting rank in the World Press Freedom Index published by non-profit organisation Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) earlier this month. India has fallen to the 161st position out of 180 countries as per the 2023 edition of the index, slipping down 11 notches. While hearing a batch of petitions challenging 11 life convicts’ premature release in the Bilkis Bano case, Justice Joseph, who was heading the bench, remarked:
“Weekly, there are one lakh newspapers in India. I hope I don’t get misquoted, but in the ranking, we are now at 161, in terms of journalistic freedom.”
“Yes, we have dropped very drastically,” agreed advocate Vrinda Grover, who has been appearing for one of the petitioners that originally challenged the remission granted to the convicts by the Gujarat government last year.
However, the solicitor-general protested, saying, “It depends upon who is giving the rating. It depends upon the person. I can have my own form and give India the first place.” “That’s hardly…” the law officer trails off.
Justice Joseph’s comment came while the bench was ordering newspaper publication for notice to respondents in the case.
According to the latest edition of RSF’s World Freedom Index, India is ranked behind countries such as Rwanda (131), Pakistan (150), and Afghanistan (152). Not only was there a steep drop in India’s ranking this year from 150 in 2022, but the country’s position has seen a steady decline over the last few years. Earlier this year, union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur stated in the Parliament that the government did not subscribe to the rankings of the World Press Freedom Index, nor did it agree with the conclusions drawn by Reporters Without Borders. In a written response to a question by Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh in the Rajya Sabha, Thakur wrote:
“The World Press Freedom Index is published by a foreign non-government organisation, called Reporters Without Borders, and the government does not subscribe to its views and country rankings and does not agree to the conclusions drawn by this organisation.”
The central government had reportedly rejected the World Press Freedom Index findings last year as well, alleging, among other things, that the methodology adopted was ‘questionable’ and ‘non-transparent’.
