The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Court issues notice to Collector, Telugu dailies

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Tuesday, Jul 17, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Court issues notice to Collector, Telugu dailies

Legal Correspondent

Hyderabad: Justice L. Narasimha Reddy of the High Court on Monday issued notices to the Guntur district Collector, editors and reporters of two leading Telugu dailies asking them to explain why proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act should not be initiated against them.

The judge did not take kindly to the tone and tenor of the reports published regarding orders passed by the court and also the stand allegedly taken by the Collector before the press.

One Assistant Government Pleader working in Guntur courts was asked by the Government to discharge the functions of a Government pleader for over a year. He sought remuneration which was payable to the Government pleader for the one year he worked. When there was no response from the authorities he filed a writ petition. Justice L. Narasimha Reddy directed the Government authorities to release the amount. When this was not done another order reiterating the earlier orders was issued.

When the case came up for hearing on Monday the counsel for the petitioner placed two paper clippings of Vaartha and Andhra Jyothi before the court.

The tone and tenor of these news items, spicy headlines, lead sentences loaded with satirical comments shocked the court. The Advocate-General was asked to assist the court in this issue. After listening to the Advocate-General for a while the judge prima facie felt that the publication of news items amounted to interfering with the administration of justice and creating hurdles in the implementation of the orders of the court.

It directed issuance of notices to the editors and the reporters concerned of Guntur. The Collector was also asked to explain the stand in this regard.

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