JUDGMENT :

SHAJI P. CHALY, J

This Public Interest Litigation is filed by an Advocate, seeking to protect, the interest of the community of lawyers, and violation of the fundamental rights of the public at large regarding their rights to be kept informed about the current social, political, economic, cultural and other topics and important issues, to enable them to understand and form an opinion, how they are managed by Government and administration including but not limited to the important judicial pronouncements. Basically, petitioner wants a guideline to be formed by this court to regulate the activities of the print and electronic media.

2. According to the petitioner, honest and truthful representation of the events from time to time is envisaged in the scheme of the Constitution of India. In a democratic set up, citizens must be able to form their own opinion, comments and view points on such matters and events that affect their future. The right to freedom of speech and expression contained in Article 19 of the Constitution of India is not absolute as it is bound by sub-clause (2). According to the petitioner, deliberate planting of lies, repeated broadcast of news to malign th