Top quotes by Supreme Court on press freedom

The Supreme Court on Wednesday made some important observations on press freedom in the country.

"A free press presents citizens with hard facts and shines a light on the functioning of the State, a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India, D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hina Kohli said.

The observations were made while setting aside an order of the Kerala High Court, which had upheld the ban on live telecast by Malayalam news channel, MediaOne.

Here is what the Supreme Court said on press freedom in India:

• An independent press is vital for the robust functioning of a Democratic Republic.
• Its role in the democratic society is crucial, for it shines a light on the functioning of the State.
• The press has a duty to speak truth and present citizens with hard facts, enabling them to make choices that prepare democracy in the right direction.
• The restriction on the freedom of the press compels citizens to think along the same tangent.
• A homogenised view on issues that range from socioeconomic polity to political ideologies would pose grave dangers to democracy.

• The critical views of the channel MediaOne on policies of the government cannot be termed anti establishment.
• The use of such a terminology in itself represents an expectation that the press must support the establishment.
• The action of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting by denying your security clearance to a media channel on the basis of the views with the channel is constitutionally entitled to hold produces a chilling effect on free speech and in particularly on press freedom.
• The mere involvement of issues concerning national security would not preclude the state's duty to act fairly.
• If the state discards its duty to act fairly, then it must be justified before the Court and the facts of the case.
• Firstly, the state must satisfy the court that national security concerns are involved. Secondly, the state must satisfy the court that an obligation of the principles of national justice is justified.
• These two standards that have emerged from the jurisprudence abroad resemble the proportionality standard.