“A free press lies at the heart of our democracy and its preservation is essential to the survival of

liberty. Any inroad made upon the constitutional protection of a free press tends to undermine
the freedom of all men to print and read the truth.”1

The fourth pillar of the democracy of India has the most profound impact on the country’s
citizens. Media conveys through mainly through the most impactful way that humans are built to
receive, the visual medium. Our media is the link which connects the citizens and the
government of a country. Media is the catalyst that forms the opinions and perspective of the
masses regarding various issues. Although, media is massively considered as a "watch dog" of
political democracy, too much intervention of this “watch dog” in everything is a matter of
concern.

‘Trial by Media’ is been given a lot of importance because of the recent trends and garnered the
attention of civil rights activists, lawyers specializing in Indian Constitution, judges and legal
scholars. As the world enters into the era of digitalization, the amount of publicity which any
crime or suspect or accused gets in the media has reached alarming proportions. This increased
ambit of accusations may result in the judgment of public under which sometimes even an
individual could be condemned for no reason and on the other hand those who are guilty may not
get a fair trial or may get a higher sentence after trial than they deserved. There appears to be
very little restraint on the media in so far as the administration of criminal justice is concerned.

Being the world’s largest democracy, implementation of freedom of expression is necessary but
it should be made sure that it does not end up creating conflict with the Constitution itself and
blurring the line between the judicial procedures and ethics. The freedom granted under Article
19(1)(a), permits the legislature to impose reasonable restriction on the right, in the interests of
various matters, one of which is the fair administration of justice as protected by the Contempt of
Courts Act, 19712.

1
Justice Murphy, in Conway v. Johan, 331 US 367 1.
2
Sec 2 Contempt of Courts Act 1971
On the off chance that the exposure introduced by the media about a suspect or a charged goes
too far and before preliminary partialities a reasonable preliminary or results in portraying him as
an individual who had in reality perpetrated the wrongdoing, it adds up to undue impedance with
the "organization of equity" , calling for procedures for disdain of court against the media.
Different issues about the protection privileges of people or litigants may likewise emerge.

The perceptions of Mr. Andrew Belsey in his article 'Reporting and Ethics, can they exist
together' cited by the Delhi High Court in Mother Dairy Foods and Processing Ltd v. Zee
Telefilms relevantly portray the situation of the present media. He says that reporting and morals
stand separated. While columnists are particular facilitators for the vote based procedure to work
without obstacle the media needs to pursue the temperances of 'precision, trustworthiness, truth,
objectivity, reasonableness, adjusted detailing, regard or self-rule of customary individuals'.
These are all piece of the majority rule process. Yet, reasonable contemplations, to be specific,
quest for effective profession, advancement to be gotten, impulse of gathering due dates and
fulfilling Media Managers by gathering development targets, are perceived as components for
the 'compulsion to print paltry stories lecherously displayed'. In the compulsion to sell stories,
what is introduced is the thing that 'open is keen on' instead of 'what is in open intrigue'.

Suspects and denounced separated, even exploited people and witnesses experience the ill effects
of over the top attention and attack of their protection rights. Police are displayed in poor light by
the media and their assurance also endures. The day after the report of wrongdoing is distributed,
media says 'Police have no signal'. At that point, whatever tattle the media accumulates about the
line of examination by the official organizations, it gives such exposure in regard of the data that
the individual who has for sure carried out the wrongdoing, can move away to more secure spots.
The weight on the police from media step by step develops and arrives at a phase where police
feel constrained to state something or the other out in the open to ensure their notoriety. Here and
there when, under such weight, police approach with a story that they have caught a suspect and
that he has admitted, the 'Breaking News' things begin and few in the media seem to realize that
under the law, admission to police isn't acceptable in a criminal preliminary. When the admission
is distributed by both the police and the media, the presume's future is done. When he withdraws
from the admission before the Magistrate, the open envision that the individual is a liar. The
entire technique of fair treatment is subsequently getting contorted and befuddled.
The media likewise makes different issues for observers. On the off chance that the personality
of observers is distributed, there is risk of the observers going under weight both from the
blamed or his partners just as from the police. At the most punctual stage, the observers need to
withdraw and escape the obfuscate. Witness security is then a genuine setback. This prompts the
inquiry concerning the tolerability of unfriendly observer proof and whether the law ought to be
altered to avert observers changing their announcements. Once more, if the speculate's photos are
appeared in the media, issues can emerge during 'distinguishing proof motorcades' led under the
Code of Criminal Procedure for recognizing the denounced.

Once in a while, the media behaviors parallel examinations and focuses its finger at people who
may to be sure be guiltless. It attempts to criticize the examination procedure even before it is
finished and this raises doubts in the brains of general society about the effectiveness of the
official examination apparatus.

The Press Council of India issues rules now and again and now and again, it takes activity. In
any case, regardless of whether expressions of remorse are coordinated to be distributed, they are
distributed so that possibly they are not conciliatory sentiments or the statements of regret are
distributed in the papers at spots which are not exceptionally unmistakable.

Our criminal law and criminal statute depend on the reason that the blame of any individual
charged in a courtroom must be demonstrated past sensible uncertainty and that the denounced is
ventured to be guiltless except if the opposite is demonstrated in broad daylight, in an official
courtroom, watching all the legitimate protections to a charged. Not just that, the denounced has
an essential ideal to quiet. That correct stems from the sacred right of the blamed regular to a few
constitutions that the denounced can't be constrained to implicate himself . That is likewise the
motivation behind why admissions to the police are prohibited in an official courtroom.

Widespread Declaration of Human Rights:

Article 10 manages the privilege of a blamed "In full equity to a reasonable and formal review by
a free and unprejudiced court in the assurance of his rights and commitments and of any criminal
allegation against him" .

Article 11 of the Universal Declaration manages the privilege to be assumed honest and peruses
consequently:

Article 11 (1), "Everybody accused of a punitive offense has the privilege to be assumed honest
until demonstrated liable as indicated by law in an open preliminary at which he has every one of
the ensures vital for his resistance".

Article 12: "Nobody will be liable to subjective obstruction with his protection, family, home or
correspondence, nor to assaults upon his respect and notoriety. Everybody has the privilege to
assurance of the law against such impedance and assaults."

In this manner, the Articles displayed in the United Nation's Universal Declaration of Human
Rights give rights to a charged. In spite of the fact that a Declaration isn't restricting yet moral
and powerful in nature, it is extremely fundamental for us to perceive and respect the privileges
of a denounced.

Constitution of India: Rights of Accused and Freedom of Speech and Expression (Art. 19(1) (a):-
Our Constitution does not independently allude to the opportunity of the press or of the
electronic media in Part III yet these rights are treated by the law as a feature of the 'Right to
speak freely and articulation' ensured by Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution of India. The
certification is liable to 'sensible limitations' which can be made by enactment to the degree
allowed by Article 19(2).

The Article peruses in this manner:

Article 19(1): "All natives will have the privilege

(a) to the right to speak freely and articulation;

(b) ... ... ...,

(g)… … ,

Article 19(2): "Nothing in sub-condition (an) of provision (1) will influence the activity of any
current law, or keep the State from making any law, to the extent that such law forces sensible
limitations on the activity of the privilege given by the said sub-proviso,

• in the enthusiasm of the power and honesty of India,

• the security of the State,

• friendly relations with outside States,

• in connection to scorn of court, slander or

• incitement to an offense".

'Scorn of Court law' manages non-obstruction with the "organization of equity" and that is the
means by which the "proper method of equity" that is required for a reasonable preliminary, can
require inconvenience of impediments on the right to speak freely and articulation.

There comes an inquiry whether Media Publication (print or electronic) can go under the ambit
of Art. 19(1)(a) as Speech and Expression? The response to this inquiry is yes media distribution
adds up to discourse and articulation. The Supreme Court of India, in Life Insurance Corporation
of India v. Manubhai D Shah has expressed that the "right to speak freely and articulation" in
Article 19(1)(a) implies the privilege to express one's feelings and assessments uninhibitedly, by
overhearing people's conversations, composing, printing, pictures or electronic media or in some
other way.

Further, if there should arise an occurrence of Romesh Thapar v. Province of Madras , it was
held that the opportunity incorporates the opportunity of thoughts, their distribution and flow. It
was expressed in Hamdard Dawakhana v. Association of India , that the privilege incorporates
the privilege to obtain and bestow thoughts and data about issues of basic intrigue.

The Hon'ble Supreme Court on account of State of Maharashtra v. Rajendra Jawanmal Gandhi
held that a preliminary by press, electronic media or by method for an open disturbance is the
counter theory of guideline of law and can prompt premature delivery of equity. A Judge is to
protect himself against such weight.