Agenda driven media taking democracy 2 steps bacward, CJI Ramana

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Saturday expressed concerns about the “concerted campaigns” in media, particularly social media, against judges and “ill-informed and agenda driven debates” on issues related to cases before Courts. Agenda-driven debates and kangaroo courts being run by the media are detrimental to the health of the democracy he said. Delivering the inaugural lecture instituted in the memory of Justice Satya Brata Sinha in Ranchi, Ramana said media trials affect the fair functioning and independence of the judiciary. CJI Ramana said that several media organisations in the country were running “kangaroo courts… on issues even experienced judges find difficult to decide on."

He added that, “Biased views being propagated by media are affecting the people, weakening democracy, and harming the system. In this process, justice delivery gets adversely affected. By overstepping and breaching your responsibility, you are taking our democracy two steps backward.” Ramana said while the print media still has a certain degree of accountability, electronic media has zero accountability as what it shows vanishes into thin air. “At times, there are concerted campaigns in media, particularly on social media, against judges,” he said. "It is best for the media to self-regulate and measure their words. I urge electronic and social media to behave responsibly. Electronic media should rather use their voice to educate people and energise the nation." Ramana said.

Speaking on a massive number of pending cases in courts, Ramana said, “False narratives are created about the supposed easy lives led by judges. It is difficult to swallow. People often complain about the long pendency of the cases at all levels of the Indian judicial system.”