Be responsible, CJI tells media

Amid a raging debate over the live TV coverage of Mumbai terror siege, Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan asked media to be more responsible and not pose hurdles to risky operations of security forces. The CJI said live coverage of Mumbai attack may have been used by the terrorists to their advantage. “A lot of criticism was made for the way media was reporting the Mumbai terror attack of 26/11. The coverage may have been used by terrorists to their advantage and to change their guards,” he said. He said TV channels should be “more responsible” in such events as the reporting (live coverage) may have added to the problem of the security agencies. There are strict laws in foreign countries to deal with such a situation, he stressed. The CJI’s view was shared by his colleague Justice R V Raveendran, who also felt that in no other country media could have been permitted live coverage of terror attacks like Mumbai. Justice Balakrishnan refrained from making any comment on the need for bringing a tougher anti-terror law. “It is for the Government to decide,” he said when asked on the sidelines of the five-day workshop for journalists covering court proceedings, which was opened by him on Sunday. He was critical of the reporting on certain pending cases, saying “trial by the media” is not rational.

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