PCI to challenge reporting ban on army movement

The Press Council of India (PCI) will move the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order that prohibited media from reporting movement of army.

The Press Council of India (PCI) will move the Supreme Court challenging the Allahabad High Court order that prohibited media from reporting movement of army.

HT Image

“With great respect to the high court, I’m of the opinion that the order of the high court is not correct… the Press Council of India will challenge the Allahabad High Court order very shortly,” said PCI chairman Markandey Katju.

Katju said the people of India have a right to know about army affairs, except where they compromise national security.

Saying the media had done an excellent job in exposing the Adarsh and Sukna scams, in which senior army officers were involved, Katju said they were well within their fundamental right to freedom of the media under Article 19(1)(A) of the Constitution to do so.

“In my opinion, there can be no general prohibition in reporting all troop movements,” he said, adding reporting troop movements near the border or during war should be prohibited as that may aid the enemy and harm the armed forces.