The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought an explanation from a senior Delhi Police officer amid assault allegations by women journalists during anti-CEC protests in Delhi.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed after Senior Advocate Indira Jaising mentioned a petition filed by the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI), seeking safeguards for journalists covering protests, particularly women journalists.
“We would like some senior officers to remain present here and explain,” the CJI said, adding that the police would have to respond to the allegations.
Jaising informed the court that advance notice had been given to the Solicitor General. The CJI said the petition would be listed for hearing on Thursday along with a matter concerning alleged police action.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan mentioned a contempt petition filed by the Freedom Speech Collective, alleging that police personnel assaulted journalists in violation of the Supreme Court’s October 10 order that media persons covering protests must not be harassed. Senior Advocate Chander Uday Singh also mentioned a similar petition filed by NWMI.
NWMI filed its writ petition in the Supreme Court on Monday, alleging assault, arbitrary detention and intimidation of women journalists by Delhi Police while they were reporting on protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the national capital on October 10 and 11.
According to the organisation, several women journalists were assaulted, prevented from performing their professional duties and arbitrarily detained despite identifying themselves as members of the press and showing valid press credentials.
The petition seeks directions to ensure the safety and dignity of journalists covering protests and other public events.
It seeks directions to the Union government to ensure that women journalists engaged in bona fide newsgathering or reporting are not subjected to physical handling, intimidation, arbitrary detention or forcible removal merely because they are present at or near protests, public assemblies, crowd-control operations or other events of public importance.
The plea also seeks enforceable safeguards and standard operating procedures for police-media interactions during protests, dharnas and public demonstrations. It asks the court to direct Delhi Police not to obstruct, assault or detain journalists performing their professional duties and to ensure that women journalists are not subjected to physical harassment or arbitrary detention while reporting.
Additionally, NWMI has sought an independent inquiry and action against police personnel found responsible for the alleged assault and detention.
The organisation contends that the alleged police action violates the freedom of the press guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution and could have a chilling effect on journalists, particularly women reporting from the field.
The development comes amid large-scale protests in Delhi by INDIA bloc parties, youth organisations and civil society groups over SIR, voter deletions and alleged electoral irregularities. During the protests, police imposed Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), shut Metro stations and imposed internet curbs.
The Supreme Court had on Sunday taken note of the restrictions and ordered the restoration of normal services.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on Thursday.
