VISAKHAPATNAM: A gag order served by the Visakhapatnam district administration on two Telugu dailies seeking to screen before publication news reports pertaining to public servants created a furore in the media on Thursday.

Journalist unions described it as an attempt to curtail the freedom of the press. On learning about the implications of the order, the Government intervened and got the order annulled.

These developments followed a notice-cum-interim order served by M. Venkateswara Rao, Revenue Divisional Officer, Visakhapatnam, in his capacity as Sub-Divisional Magistrate on journalists working in the two dailies. The notice, which was served on Editor of Andhra Jyothi K. Ramachandra Murthy, Editor of Leader V. V. Ramana Murthy, and others said the dailies had been publishing adverse news items about alleged land deals by IAS, IPS officers, other civil servants besides politicians in the city.

Embarrassed by the episode, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy intervened and sought an explanation from district Collector Praveen Prakash. In a statement, Dr. Reddy said such orders had no place in a democracy. He said he condemned the officials' action after being informed in the evening about this development and the protests by journalists. He said he was informed that the Additional District Magistrate of Visakhapatnam had since cancelled the RDO's interim orders.

In his notice, the RDO held that under powers vested in Sec. 144 of Cr.P.C., that any news item published in the two newspapers that could malign the personal character and value system of any public servant should hereafter pass through a screening committee.

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