Shillong: Journalists in Meghalaya are protesting a recent a High Court order restraining publication of statements from various organizations calling for strikes, road blocks and rallies.
“We have unanimously decided to move the Press Council of India and the other higher authorities available against the High Court ruling which will have a greater ramification in the role and functions of the media in a democratic state,” Shillong Press Club president D Laitphlang told reporters on Tuesday.
He said the decision to protest the court order was unanimously taken at an emergent meeting convened by the Shillong Press Club.
A full bench of the High Court banned the media from carrying statements on agitations with “unlawful design.” The apex court in the state was responding to a plea made by Director General of Police Rajiv Mehta to restrain media from carrying statements of outlawed organizations calling for various forms of agitations.
Stating that calling of shutdowns infringes on the citizen’s fundamental rights, the court held the organizers and sponsors of such strikes liable under the law to recoup and compensate the loss and damages.
The court was hearing a writ petition filed by the Registrar General of the Court against the state government on the effect of a strike called by HNLC, an outlawed militant outfit, last week.