EGI slams
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 23 2017: Expressing deep concern over the Rajasthan Government's decision to make the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance 2017 into an Act in the current legislative session, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) has asked the Rajasthan Government to withdraw the 'harmful ordinance' and prevent any Act from being passed that would endanger the freedom of press .

In a statement, EGI said the ordinance was ostensibly done to protect the judiciary and the bureaucracy against false FIRs.

But in reality it is a pernicious instrument to harass the media, hide wrongful acts by Government servants and drastically curb the freedom of the press guaranteed by the Constitution of India .

"The Editors Guild wants the Rajasthan Government to immediately withdraw the ordinance and desist from making it into law," said the EGI statement .

Rather than taking stern measures to prevent and punish those who indulge in frivolous or false litigation, the Rajasthan Government has passed an ordinance that is bent on bludgeoning the messenger, it said .

While the Guild has always stood for fair, balanced and responsible reporting of FIRs filed in Courts of law, it believes that the remedy being employed by the Rajasthan Government is draconian and gives it untrammelled power to even imprison journalists for reporting matters of public interest, the statement said.

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