Media Trial and Breach of Fundamental Right to Reputation

The media plays an important role in the safeguarding of human rights, and it has done so in every

corner of the globe. It is the media's job and obligation to bring incidents of human rights violations

to the attention of the government and the general public. But at the time of doing it, media must

take into account that the way it reports the matter must have no adverse effect on the reputation

of a person and in any way it should not disturb the societal harmony.1 Access to information is

attached with the proper functioning of the democracy. So, a great responsibility is imposed on the

press and the media. It is the greatest influencing factor. The power with them carries with it an

obligation to act with responsibility and creativity.2 The right to communicate with the public and

the government is guaranteed under Article 19(1) of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees

freedom of speech and expression. As a result, press freedom is an essential corollary of freedom of

speech, which includes the right to receive and transmit information, without which democracy is

but a phrase. The object of granting freedom to the press is that it becomes the fourth institution

outside the government which put an additional check on the three officials branches-executive,

legislature and Judiciary.