Press Freedom in India: A Cornerstone for Democracy
The Press is supposedly free as per laws in India but the true extent of freedom is debatable. The press or media acts as a watchdog of democracy. In fact, post-independence, the India press has played a vital role in restraining corruption and injustice in the nation.
The press is also instrumental in arousing the general public’s interest in the government and its operations. However, like everything else, there is a flipside to this as well. Over the last few years, yellow journalism has been rampant in Indian press, which has lead to widespread misconducts in the nation.
Laws Governing Indian Press
The Indian Constitution extends the right to the freedom of speech and expression under Article 19 to the Press as well.
However, similar to individual rights of expression, the Indian press is barred from reporting an incident or expressing an idea if it: violates the integrity and sovereignty of the nation.
This legal right applies also in the following instances:
Can Press really be Free?
The true extent of the freedom of press in India is debatable, considering the Indian press is dominated by a handful of media groups and chains. Consequently, the expression of the reporters and editors is bound to be influenced by the vested interests of the capitalist owners. Moreover, free collection and dissemination of information is bound to be restricted, since the newspapers largely depend on advertisements for revenues.
Final Legal Take Away Tip:
While making the press State-owned is an improbable solution, the only recourse is for the Press to become vigilant and ensure that it does not violate its freedom of expression. The Press must also observe that violating this constitutional right will only result in widespread distrust and detestation towards it.
