Do not cross Lakshman Rekha : ACJ T Raja to media

CHENNAI: "Do not cross Lakshman Rekha and media is the fourth pillar in democracy. Freedom of speech and expression of the constitution is freedom of press. The media should act responsibly without overstepping their bounds. The news media should be a media, not a court to deliver verdicts on its own,” acting Chief Justice T Raja said on Thursday after inaugrating the Madras High Court Journalists' Association (MUJA).

“The news media should be a media, not a court to deliver verdicts on its own. Terming the role of media in a democracy as important the Chief Justice in a veiled warning urged the media to play a responsible role. Do not cross the boundaries.”

The inaugural function of the MUJA was held at the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Bar Council meeting hall, Chennai. ACJ who attended the event, delivered his address on the topic of "Court, Media and the Lakshman Rekha". . "Once the crime happened, then the police will inquire and file a chargesheet. After this, only the court will hear the prayer and decide whether the accused should go to prison or to be acquitted. But, when a person is accused in the media through media trial, it affects investigation and later results in the aquitall by court, the injustice done to that person cannot be redressed. The media should not cross Lakshman Rekha and the CJ pointed out the media trail in the infamous Pollachi sex scandal case," he added.

Bar council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry chairman PS Amalraj also requested ACJ T Raja to provide an individual place for the visual media. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin who did not attend the event, sent a congratulatory message to the newly formed association. Justices S Vaidyanathan, R Mahadevan, Advocate General R Shunmugasundaram, Bar council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry chairman PS Amalraj, MP A Wilson Asirvatham were also present at the event.