'Stop complaints on media reports': SC dismisses EC's plea in Madras HC remark case

The Supreme Court on Thursday while hearing the Election Commission’s petition complaining against the media reports on the Madras High Court’s ‘booked for murder’ remark, said Constitutional authorities can do better than to complain and ask for fetters on the media. The SC said it will be retrograde to restrain HCs from making observations or gagging the media from reporting observations.

The apex court said ‘Open access to courts is a valuable safeguard to constitutional freedom and that freedom of the press is a facet of constitutional freedom of speech and expression’.

The top court however admitted that the remarks made by the Madras High Court were "harsh and the metaphor improper" and that judicial restraint was necessary.