Category Archives: Supreme Court of India

SHOUT OUT: Journalists are Winning! World over they have started getting rights to Tweet from Courtrooms!

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Finally, Mysterious and Magic doors of Courts are now opening to public and social media through Journalists.

Tweeting and emailing directly from Court Rooms? What does it mean to you and me?

You enjoy Cricket Matches by getting ball by ball view on TV and twitter. Now within few days, you may be getting blow by blow details of Court Room Dramas. 

Cheers! Because Court Room Dramas are more THRILLING than Cricket matches.

Before TV breaks news to you, you may already have got it first on twitter what Supreme Court has decided in which case. Days of twisting truths by TV are going……

IT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED IN U.K.


The Day of Journalists was 14th December, 2011. 


It will be always remembered as day of freedom of expression for journalists.


The Top Judge of U.K.Courts said something like this, 


“Start tweeting, emailing or sending texts from today from courts rooms itself. But be warned, that we will withdraw this permission any time, if we found that you are interfering with administration of justice and fair reporting.”




And here is something more to cheer up!


“If you are a Legal Journalists or legal commentator, no permission 
needed from court for tweeting or texting or emailing.!”


Earlier, journalists and legal commentators were afraid to tweet which may displease some one sitting in High Chairs.


Now no more fears! ! !


And which other countries are likely to give such freedom to Journalists?


Scotland is also likely to follow.


What about India?


My answer is: 


“Keep Your Fingers Crossed. The Cases is going on in Supreme Court. 


Let us wait till the judgement comes…… 


But in the meantime, if you are a journalist, you can buy an iphone, an ipad or a Blackberry, or a Nokia, whichever may suit you.”


Haresh Raichura
9//4//2102


And what is the Guideline!


Do nothing, tweet nothing, blog nothing, email nothing, which may hamper administration of justice. If you do this, you will be liable to be punished under contempt of court Act.


So use this freedom wisely. 

How Far Supreme Court is also responsible for loss of Rule of Law in India?

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This is not a destructive criticism. I am aware that Supreme Court is now the last strong pillar of India.

It has withstand all kinds of pressures and have gone a long way to protect our fundamental rights.

But, this is not a ground for not criticizing it for areas in which it has miserably failed.

It has miserably failed in some areas because Senior Advocates of Supreme Court have failed to criticize Court when they ought to have done so.

In my view, Supreme Court has miserably let down people of India by watering down, two important Provisions of The Constitution of India.

1) Article 32

2) Article 142.

These are the two article which inject Rule of Law in veins of country. These provisions are powerful enough to restore your faith in Rule of Law in less than TWO hours.

The watering down of Art. 32 has began more than 20 years ago. Earlier, even if you may be living in a remote corner of India, you had Right to Knock at the doors of Supreme of Court even at 12 hours at midnight.

The Judges had to be ready 24 hours a day if someone knocks at their doors and claims violation of Art.21 by big-wigs of any State.

Now, the power has been watered down.

Another is Art.142.

Whatever may be the Situation, the Supreme Court shall have as much power as of a King, to do justice in any case. It can pass any order whatsoever. This is what this Article is all about.

And now, there are no judges or senior advocates who subscribe this view.

Now think about, consequences of watering down these Articles.

Go to any district court bar room where lawyers may be chit-chatting on current situations.

One sentence you may often here is, “Who cares for Supreme Court orders?”

Do you want proof of this?

Ask Justice Katju. He had to summon a Judge of lower court who did not bother about an order of Supreme Court.

I have a client called J.N. Ganatra.

In 1996, he got a decree in his favour from Supreme Court. Till today, his execution petition is pending in Morvi Court. He keeps going on there every date to realize fruits of Supreme Court decree passed in his favour in 1996.

This is all I have to say.

You can draw your own inferences.

Haresh Raichura