1. Heard learned counsel for the parties.

2. Rule. Respondents waive notice through their respective counsel.

3. Rule is made returnable forthwith, with the consent of the parties and is taken up for final disposal.

4. By these petitions, the petitioners have impugned the order dated 29th November, 2017 passed by the learned Additional Sessions Judge, City Civil and Sessions Court, Greater Mumbai, below Exhibit 1502 in Sessions Case Nos. 177 of 2013, 178 of 2014, 577 of 2013 and 312 of 2014, by which, the learned Sessions Judge banned the print, electronic and social media from publishing/posting and/or reporting the court proceedings, until further orders.

5. The short question that arises for consideration in both the aforesaid petitions essentially is, whether the learned Judge had the power to pass the impugned order i.e. to ban the media from publishing and reporting the court proceedings, in the absence of any provision under the Code of Criminal Procedure (hereinafter referred to as `the Code').

6. Mr. Ponda and Mr. Chandrachud, learned counsel for the petitioners appearing in Writ Petition No. 5434 of 2017 submitted that the learned Judge had no power under the Code, to g