Chennai: The Supreme Court today said Constitutional authorities can do better than to complain and ask for fetters on the media.
The apex court said this while hearing the Election Commission’s petition complaining about media reports on the Madras High Court telling the poll body it should be booked for murder for not stopping political rallies amid Covid.
The top court said the remarks made by the Madras High Court were “harsh and the metaphor improper” and judicial restraint was necessary.
“There is a need for judicial restraint for off the cuff remarks which is open for misinterpretation. Judicial language is important for constitutional ethos. Power of judicial review is so high that it forms a basic structure,” the top court observed.
The media cannot be stopped from reporting any court hearing and must report fully what happens in court, the Supreme Court said recently as the Election Commission complained about being ‘castigated without any evidence’ when the Madras High Court last week remarked that the poll body should be ‘booked for murder’ for not stopping political rallies in the Covid emergency.
“Something is observed in the larger public interest. The Election Commission should treat it as a bitter pill in the right spirit,” the Supreme Court said.