‘SC to clarify its circular against reporting on under-trial cases’

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq today said Supreme Court (SC) administration will soon give a clarification over the circular regarding media reports on under-trial cases.

“We have talked in details in this regard and I hope the Supreme Court administration will soon come up with a clarification regarding the misunderstanding that has been created in this regard,” he told newsmen after coming out of his meeting with Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain at the Supreme Court this afternoon, reports BSS.

The Supreme Court administration on May 16 issued a notice, asking media not to make report or broadcast anything on under-trial cases on TV scroll. The law minister, however, tried to defuse the situation, as he on April 19 said there is no bar on media reporting on under-trial cases but media shall not publish personal opinion on cases, whose proceedings are not going on.

“If you start giving opinion about under-trial cases, thing that will happen is there will be a media trial. A kind of pressure will be created on the judges that is why they have said this. I want to make it clear, you have to separate the reporting and expressing personal opinion,” he added yesterday. Anisul Huq today said he talked with the chief justice regarding that notice and he hopes that there would be an end to the ‘misunderstanding’ in this regard soon.

While replying another question, the law minister said the president is the head of the state and complaints can be lodged to him and he would take action as per the law.