Contempt of court description with regard to media

1. Contempt of
Courts Act
Module IV : Media Laws and regulation bodies

2. Background
Introduction and History
01.

3. - Fourth Pillar of Democracy : Media : highlights the social, legal, economic,
and cultural problems of the society.
- Contempt of Court – Reasonable restriction under Article 19 of the Indian
Constitution
History

4. Meaning
Any conduct that brings the
authority and administration of
law to disrespect is known as
contempt of courts.
Section 2 (b) : civil contempt
Section 2 (c) : criminal contempt
02.

5. According to the act the person is said to be offender of contempt of courts
under following circumstances:
Disobeys , breach or scandalises the authority of a court
Prejudices or interferes with any judicial proceedings
Interferes or obstructs the administration of justice
Example –
• Charging the judge with unreasonability and inability
• Publication of any comment on the matter which are under the proceedings
of the court and which may mislead the general public and which lead them
to be prejudiced.
• Wrongful publication of the proceedings of the court and distorting the
facts.

6. 03. Authorities & Laws
Power to Courts
In the Constitution of India,
power to punish for contempt
of court is provided under
Article 129 to Supreme court
and under Article 215 to High
Court.
Punishment : Under Section 12
of Contempt of Courts Act.
Press Council of India
It provides guidelines to
be followed for
mentioning of the print
media.

7. 04. Exceptions
Innocent
publication or
distribution of
matter
Publishing fair
and accurate
report of
judicial
proceedings
Fair comments
of merits of any
case which
have been
heard & finally
decided.

8. ● Ram Dayal vsm State of U P.
● Aswini Kumar Ghosh v Arabinda Bose
● Chancal Manohar Singh v High Court of
Punjab and Haryana and others
● Arundhati Roy Case
05. Case Laws

9. Bibliography
- Contempt of Courts Act,
1971
- Jus corpus law journal
(Media & Contempt of
Court)
- Legal services website