CHENNAI: Wondering whether provision of available Statutes provide for creating a ‘State Press Council’, the Madras High Court on Wednesday sought answers from counsels and the Press Council of India (PCI).
The First Bench of Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu felt the Press Council of India Act provides for creation of a national-level body and not a State-level one, as ordered by a division bench in August this year.
The Division Bench delivered the judgment on petitions relating to ‘fake journalists’ and directed TN government to form a Press Council of TN (within three months) for cracking down on fake journalists. The bench stipulated rules for appointment of chairman and members of the body and said the body must be headed by a retired judge of the SC or the HC. He asked counsels representing petitioners and the PCI to find out if statutes provide for a State Press Council.
The division bench order was issued during the hearing of a plea by Sekaran, who claimed to be a journalist running the magazine Manida Manam.
HC wants squatters on Adheenam lands out
Madurai: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court recently directed the commissioners of HR&CE and the Kadayanallur Panchayat Union to remove encroachments in lands belonging to Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam and the panchayat. Justice R Mahadevan gave the direction after a report, submitted by an advocate commissioner last year in a civil revision petition filed in 2014, revealed that the Adheenam lands were illegally occupied by some private entities. Also referring to an affidavit filed by the Commissioner of Kadayanallur panchayat union about the dismal state of the said encroached properties, the judge said this may be only the tip of an iceberg and there can be large extent of lands under encroachment.