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SC refers Hindu case to five judge bench, no arrest in interim
New Delhi, Dec 08: The Supreme Court today admitted two petitions filed by six journalists of `The Hindu` and `Murasoli` challenging a resolution of the Tamil Nadu Assembly sentencing them to 15 days imprisonment for breach of privilege and referred it a five-judge bench to decide emerging questions of constitutiuonal law.
New Delhi, Dec 08: The Supreme Court today admitted
two petitions filed by six journalists of ‘The Hindu’ and
‘Murasoli’ challenging a resolution of the Tamil Nadu Assembly
sentencing them to 15 days imprisonment for breach of
privilege and referred it a five-judge bench to decide
emerging questions of constitutiuonal law.
Extending its interim order staying the arrest warrants
issued against them by the speaker, a bench comprising Justice
Y K Sabharwal and Justice B N Srikrishna said that the
petitions posed substantial questions relating to the power of
the house under Article 194(3) of the Constitution, the right
to free speech under Article 19(1(A) and right to life and
liberty under Article 21.
Before referring the matter to a five-judge constitution bench, the court allowed the intervention applications of noted journalist Kuldip Nayar and Press Council of India.
During the arguments, Tamil Nadu represented by senior advocate T L Vishwanath Iyer made a concession saying that the house was not keen on the apology of the journalists. "If they accepted the supremacy of the house, that will be sufficient," he added. However, the bench asked him to work this out outside the court.
The five journalists of ‘The Hindu’ against whom arrest warrants were issued last month were Editor N Ravi, Executive Editor Malini Parathasarthy, Publisher S Rangarajan, Chief of Bureau V Jayant and Special Correspondent Radha Venkatesan while S Selvam was the Editor of ‘Murasoli’.
Bureau Report
Before referring the matter to a five-judge constitution bench, the court allowed the intervention applications of noted journalist Kuldip Nayar and Press Council of India.
During the arguments, Tamil Nadu represented by senior advocate T L Vishwanath Iyer made a concession saying that the house was not keen on the apology of the journalists. "If they accepted the supremacy of the house, that will be sufficient," he added. However, the bench asked him to work this out outside the court.
The five journalists of ‘The Hindu’ against whom arrest warrants were issued last month were Editor N Ravi, Executive Editor Malini Parathasarthy, Publisher S Rangarajan, Chief of Bureau V Jayant and Special Correspondent Radha Venkatesan while S Selvam was the Editor of ‘Murasoli’.
Bureau Report