‘Taking democracy backward’: CJI Ramana slams ‘trial by media’ | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India NV Ramana on Saturday came down heavily on the trend of “trial by media” and agenda drive debate, especially in electronic media.
Justice Ramana said that the media often pronounces judgments on such issues, on which even experienced judges find it difficult to decide.
He said, “Recently, we see media running kangaroo courts, sometimes even experienced judges find it difficult to decide on issues. Misinformation and agenda driven debates on issues related to justice delivery, health of democracy is proving to be harmful,” he said. At an event at the Jharkhand High Court in Ranchi.
He was particularly harsh on electronic media, saying it has “zero accountability”.
“By going beyond your responsibilities, you are taking our democracy two steps back. The print media still has some degree of accountability, while the electronic media has no accountability,” the CJI said.
He also stressed on the need to improve the infrastructure of the judiciary so that judges can function better and deal with pending cases.
Justice Ramana said, “On several occasions, I have highlighted pending issues. I have been strongly advocating the need to improve the infrastructure, both physical and personal, to enable judges to function to their full potential. ”
He also attacked false narratives in the media about an “easy life led by judges”. He pointed to “priority matters for adjudication” as a challenge before the Indian judiciary.
“One of the biggest challenges facing the judiciary at the present time is prioritizing cases for adjudication. Judges cannot turn a blind eye to social realities. The judge prefers to suppress cases to avoid avoidable conflicts and burdens on the system. Must be given,” he said.
(with agency input)