New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked states to devise an appropriate policy for media briefing by police after considering the manual prepared by a senior lawyer assisting it as amicus curiae.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh was hearing a batch of petitions regarding the modalities followed by the police in conducting media briefings where a probe is in progress.
In an order dated January 15, the bench noted “the laborious exercise” undertaken by the amicus, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, and said the police manual had been prepared after taking into account the perspectives of the Centre and international practices.
The apex court, however, said that the states had not shown adequate interest in taking note of the manual and doing the needful.
It said, “We deem it appropriate to direct the states to evolve an appropriate policy for media briefing by taking into consideration the ‘Police Manual for Media Briefing’ furnished by the learned Amicus Curiae. The needful will have to be done within three months from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.”
The top court also directed the registry to upload the manual on its website within two weeks.
The 60-page manual, divided into four parts, said its purpose is to establish a principled, rights-compatible and investigation-safe framework for communications between the police, public and media.
The top court in 2023 had directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to prepare a comprehensive manual on media briefings by police personnel about criminal cases.
Biased reporting gives rise to public suspicion that a person has committed an offence, it observed, and added the apex court had said media reports can also violate the privacy of a victim.
