Retd apex court judge to head panel to draft scribe safety bill for journalists in Chhattisgarh

Officials familiar with the matter said names of other members of the committee, which will include senior journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, are yet to be decided.

Updated on: Mar 12, 2019, 24:02:55 IST

Hindustan Times, Raipur | By Ritesh Mishra

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The Chhattisgarh government on Monday appointed retired Supreme Court judge Aftab Alam as the head of a panel formed to draft a bill for the protection of journalists in the state.

Journalists from different districts assembled near the Chhattisgarh chief minister official residence in Raipur . (HT File Photo)

Alam’s appointment comes months after the Congress returned to power in the state in December. In its election manifesto, the Congress had promised to bring a law for the protection of journalists.

The Chhattisgarh government’s public relations director, Taran Prakash Sinha, said Alam will head the committee formed to formulate the Journalists Security Bill.

Officials familiar with the matter said names of other members of the committee, which will include senior journalists, activists, and human rights defenders, are yet to be decided.

Maharashtra enacted a law for the protection of journalists in 2017, which provides for punishment for violence against journalists, damage to their property and that of media organisations.

Santosh Yadav, a journalist, was arrested in October 2015 on suspected links with Maoist leader, Shankar, in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar. Journalists marched to the chief minister’s house in Raipur in protest against the arrest of Yadav, who was later released on bail.

In 2018, another Bastar-based journalist, Kamal Shukla, was booked under the sedition law for allegedly posting a cartoon lampooning the country’s judiciary and government on Facebook. Kamal was later released on bail.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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