Author: Naresh R. Vadhwani, Student of Masters in Law, at Faculty of Law, Swaminayaran University, Gandhinagar
ABSTRACT
The media landscape has seen a dramatic upheaval in the twenty-first century, moving from antiquated platforms like television and newspapers to contemporary ones like social media. Many years ago, the British Member of Parliament Lord Macaulay made the famous statement that the media is “the fourth pillar of democracy.” This phrase has been repeated many times since. Many people believe that an independent and free media is necessary for a strong democracy. But the media of today is very different from that of the past. A number of reasons sometimes lead media organizations to compromise their journalistic ethics and morality, which has negative effects on the country. In today’s society, media meddling in ongoing legal proceedings has become commonplace. Judges frequently feel pressured to base their decisions, particularly in high-profile cases, on criticism from the media. As a result, there are situations where the media’s announcements of findings are taken as final. The media acts as a sort of public tribunal, independently carrying out investigations and swaying public opinion.
Although a free and active media is necessary for a functioning democracy, disagreements occasionally cloud the right to freedom of expression as stated in Article 19(2) of the Indian Constitution, particularly when it comes to contempt of court. Nonetheless, the media frequently intervenes to draw attention to situations where justice is either delayed or denied. Even though the media plays a crucial role in advancing social and political change, there are times when it appears unduly focused on business ventures. The study paper’s main goals are to examine how media trials affect India’s criminal justice system and to examine the relationship between court decisions and media trials there. This paper also aims to analyze the effects of media trials and how they continue to interfere unjustly with the administration of justice by using the pretext of independence of speech and expression.
Keywords: Criminal Justice System, Media, Interference, Media Trial, And Freedom of Speech.
