Adding chagrin to the election commission, the Supreme Court of India said on Monday, that the media cannot be stopped from reporting any court hearing. The observation by the Apex court came as the Election Commission complained to the SCI against the Madras High Court’s observation that the poll watchdog was singularly responsible for the rise in Covid-19 cases
The Supreme Court said in its observations, “Media is a powerful watchdog in democracy; it cannot be stopped from reporting discussions in higher courts. Seeking relief such as the media should not report on observations is too far-fetched.” Adding importance to the High courts, the Apex Court further said today, “We do not want to demoralize HCs as they are vital pillars of democracy.”
Election Commission of India had complained that the Madras HC’s comment was “uncalled for, blatantly disparaging and derogatory” and moved the apex court on Saturday.
The Madras High Court had come down heavily on the Election Commission of India for “not stopping political parties” from violating protocols related to Covid19 during their campaign rallies for Assembly polls in four states and a Union Territory over the last month. The Madras HC had further said that murder charges should probably be imposed on the panel for being “the only institution responsible for the situation that we are in today”.
On Friday, the Madras High Court had refused to entertain a petition by the poll-body seeking to restrain media from publishing the court’s oral observations blaming the ECI for the rise in Covid-19 cases.
The election commission has been left in huge discomfort with regards to the comment made by the Madras High Court. Mamata Banerjee had also alleged that the election commission was working on behalf of the central government under the direction of BJP. The poll body would also probably be tasked with recounting if TMC goes to the judiciary regarding alleged malpractices in vote-counting in Nandigram. It is also worthwhile to note that Election commission had neither clubbed the last four phases of the West Bengal election nor banned the rallies, even when the second wave was rising in the daily number of Covid19 infections. INC was the first political party to unilaterally cancel the election rallies in West Bengal in the wake of the second wave of Covid19.
The ECI is eager to salvage its image, when the awarding of Goa’s governorship to chief election commissioner Sunil Arora has been trolled, criticized and described as a reward to the poll-body to silently act in favour of BJP. The latest statement by the Supreme Court of India on media and election commission adds to the discomfort of the poll body, which has to deal with the allegations of working for BJP and being responsible for the second wave.
