HC bar on rape victims' identity

NEW DELHI, MARCH 31. The Delhi high court has restrained the Centre from allowing revealing the identity of rape or domestic violence victims in TV programmes unless they gave written consent.

A Division Bench comprising Mr. Justice B. A. Khan and Mr. Justice M. S. A. Siddiqui, while directing the Centre to frame a clear policy guidelines on the issue, said ``till such a policy was laid down, identity of the victims of sexual and domestic violence is not revealed in the TV programmes''.

When telecast of such programmes become essential, ``a written consent is required to be taken from the person concerned,'' the Bench said and disposed of an appeal by the Media Watch Group (MWG), which had challenged a single Bench order rejecting its petition seeking a direction to the government on the issue.

The MWG had brought the issue before the Court following Doordarshan revealing the identity of a rape victim woman in its ``Lance Eye'' programme telecast under ``current Affairs'' programme in March 1995.

The MWG said it was violation of the woman's right to privacy and her fundamental right to live with dignity.

- PTI

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