Gujarat High Court orders re-publication of apologies by major newspapers for incorrect reporting
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat High Court has directed The Times of India(ToI), The Indian Express, and Divya Bhaskar to reissue public apologies after finding their previous apologies for incorrect court reporting insufficient.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Pranav Trivedi rejected the apologies published by the three newspapers on August 23, stating that they were not in bold letters or prominently placed as instructed in the Court's order on August 22.
"You should have given it a complete headline that the apology is in relation to what. Who is going to understand what the apology is for?" Chief Justice Agarwal remarked, expressing dissatisfaction with the format of the apologies.
The Court granted the newspapers an additional three days to publish fresh apologies on their front pages, ensuring they are in bold letters and clearly indicating that the apology pertains to a wrong report published on August 13, 2024, regarding court proceedings on the rights of aided minority institutions.
The Court had previously issued notices to the regional editors of the newspapers for what it described as a "false and distorted narration" of the proceedings. Although the newspapers tendered apologies in their affidavits, the Court was not satisfied and ordered the publication of public apologies.
During the hearing on Monday, the Bench observed that the apologies published were too small and lacked the necessary emphasis. The Chief Justice also warned that failure to comply with the Court’s directions could result in contempt of court notices against the editors.
The Court also directed the newspapers to give wide publicity to the next Lok Adalat session as a form of compensation for the judicial time wasted on this issue.
Senior Advocate Devang Nanvati appeared for The Indian Express and ToI, while Advocate Maulik G Nanavati represented Divya Bhaskar.
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Punjab CM Mann meets President Murmu, seeks cancellation of membership of 6 RS members
Chandigarh (PTI): Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu, demanding the termination of the membership of six Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab who defected to the BJP and also pressed for the introduction of a constitutional provision allowing for the recall of members.
Accompanied by party MLAs and ministers, Mann visited Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.
This meeting followed a significant setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on April 24, when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs -- Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal -- quit and merged with the BJP, alleging that the party had strayed from its principles, values and core morals. Six of the seven MPs who left AAP hailed from Punjab.
After he met with the President, Mann addressed the media here, describing the departure of the seven MPs as a "murder" of the Constitution. He stated, "Seven MPs merging with another party is completely unconstitutional. I spoke to Rashtrapati ji in detail."
Mann pointed out that he told the President that the BJP holds only two MLA seats (in Punjab), yet now has six MPs in the Rajya Sabha. He questioned, "How can this be possible? Isn't it a mockery of the Constitution?
"If they are such revolutionaries at heart, then they should have resigned from their six seats. The AAP could have sent someone else," Mann said, taking a swipe at them.
He emphasised the need for a recall provision in the Constitution, referencing MP Raghav Chadha's previous demands for such a measure when members fail to meet public expectations.
"Have you lived up to the expectations of the people?" Mann challenged the MPs during his statement.
Mann also presented a letter to the President, signed by all AAP MLAs. He differentiated between the terms 'elected' and 'selected,' stating, "They were 'selected.' Therefore, their membership should be cancelled."
The President assured Mann that she would consult constitutional experts before responding.
Earlier in the day, Mann, along with party MLAs, departed for Delhi from Chandigarh.
Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh, Mann affirmed that all AAP MLAs stand united with the party. "Only I have been given time for the meeting," Mann said.
"The President is the guardian of the Constitution. She is the constitutional head of the country," he added.
Later in a post on X in Hindi, Mann said, "Our struggle to protect Punjab's rights and interests continues. Today, along with all AAP MLAs, I have left to discuss Punjab's burning issues and present the state's strong voice before the President.
As your public servant, our government remains fully committed to Punjab's prosperity and the safeguarding of the rights of every section of society."
The MLAs and ministers gathered at the chief minister's residence in the morning before heading to Delhi, carrying placards that read 'Punjab Mann De Naal' and 'Punjab's Traitors.'
The legislators left for Delhi in buses.
Mann had previously sought an appointment with the President to meet with party MLAs and demand the "recall" of the Rajya Sabha MPs who defected to the BJP. However, only Mann was given a time slot for the meeting.
