Media has right to broadcast news: former CJ

Commenting on the decision of Supreme Court not to issue interim order halting implementation of controversial Media Ordinance, former Chief Justice Mohan Prasad Sharma accused the Supreme Court of failing to protect the freedom of speech and expression, the free press and fundamental rights of the people guaranteed by the Constitution.

Speaking at an interaction at Reporters’ Club on Wednesday he claimed that the media organizations have the right to broadcast or publish news, so the Supreme Court had to consider these rights’ and issue a stay order.

Stating that broadcasting of information could not affect the national interest, he asked that the government should clarify how news broadcasting affected the national interest.

Reacting to Tuesday’s pact between the SC and the NBA to protect the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law and the fundamental rights of the people, Sharma said he was not satisfied with the agreement. “We will see in future if the agreement is good or bad,” he said.

One of the drafters of the 1990 Constitution and former SC Justice Laxman Prasad Aryal said the future will evaluate yesterday’s pact between the SC and the lawyers’ body.

According to him, the apex court had made a mistake by not issuing a stay order on the media ordinance case.

Nepal Bar Association revoked its decision to boycott the bench throughout the country on Wednesday to protect the supremacy of the Constitution, the rule of law and the fundamental rights of the people.

Dr Sundar Mani Dixit, a leading Civil Society member, accused the NBA of betraying the civil society and surrendering to the wishes of SC when the entire civil society was active in its movement against the controversial media ordinance.

Lawyers Bishwo Kanta Mainali, Harihar Dahal and Madhav Baskota had defended the NBA’s move to sign the pact with the SC saying the Supreme Court had assured them of safeguarding peoples’ rights in the future. nepalnews.com pb Nov 17 05