In Rafale Review Order, Justice KM Joseph Mentions Media Bias

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(Photo: The Quint)

While allowing the admissibility of three documents published by English daily The Hindu as evidences in the Rafale case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday, 10 April, made some strong statements about the media and its role.

The majority judgment by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on behalf of himself and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said that the publication by The Hindu is in consonance with freedom of speech.

In a separate but concurrent judgment, Justice KM Joseph noted a “disturbing trend of bias” in “some sections” of media.

“If freedom is enjoyed by the press without a deep sense of responsibility, it can weaken democracy. In some sections, there appears to be a disturbing trend of bias. Controlling business interests and political allegiances appear to erode the duty of dispassionate and impartial purveying of information,” he said.

“I would think that freedom involves many elements. A free person must be fearless. Fear can be of losing all or any of the things that is held dear by the journalist,” his judgment said, adding that “Press cannot be biased yet free”.

Interestingly, Justice Joseph also commented on the dangerous influences on press freedom in today’s day and age: “Controlling business interests and political allegiances appear to erode the duty of dispassionate and impartial purveying of information.”