The High Court of Karnataka has asked the media, particularly electronic media, to be very careful while reporting the court’s orders and the stand taken by the State government before the court on various sensitive issues related to COVID-19.
“The media must ensure that no part of the stand taken by the government or the order passed by this court is misinterpreted or misquoted. The electronic media must note that if there is no accurate reporting, it might create confusion among citizens and spread panic,” the court said.
A special Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice B.V. Nagarathna made these observations after the government and a litigant complained that a few TV channels had misinterpreted the government’s statement on its contingency plan to create health infrastructure to handle the situation if the number of COVID-19 positive cases touched 10,000 by April-end.
Pointing out that the High Court’s April 9 order recorded the State’s preparedness in this regard, the government complained that some channels had reported that the government “expects 10,000 COVID-19 positive” cases by the end of April, with one even going to the extent of reporting that such a situation was “pucca”.
False news and panic
The government also produced a copy of the clarification, issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) to quell fear in members of the public, stating that “some television channels” had misinterpreted the government’s submission before the court.
Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinnappa pointed out that even reporting only a part of the proceedings might create confusion and panic in the public. “The cause of confusion and panic can be misrepresentation of the orders of this court by the media... We hope and trust that the media will avoid all this,” the Bench observed its order. It also sought to clarify that the government’s submission to the court did not mean it was positive that the number of cases would rise to 10,000 by the end of the month.
