Supreme Court Seeks Police-Media Guidelines, Protects Journalist

The Supreme Court on October 15 sought responses from the Centre and Delhi Police on a plea for guidelines governing police interactions with journalists at protests and crowd-control operations. The court also directed that no coercive action be taken against a woman journalist facing a case over alleged casteist remarks against a police officer. The bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice on the plea, which seeks binding safeguards for media workers covering public assemblies and other events. It said it would like to lay down guidelines. The Centre and Delhi Police were asked to respond; no final framework has been issued. The plea argues that journalists, including women, have faced assault and other mistreatment while covering protests in Delhi. It seeks protections against arbitrary detention, intimidation, physical handling and forcible removal, as well as preservation and disclosure of records concerning incidents involving journalists from October 10 onward. Requested records include CCTV footage, body-camera recordings and police videography.