Date:15/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/15/stories/2007121562621500.htm

National

Sting operations: court for code of conduct for media

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Agreeing that sting operations could be a tool for journalists to “bring out the truth,” the Delhi High Court on Friday suggested that the media prepare a code of conduct to check operations that had motives other than the public interest.

A Division Bench comprising Justices M.K. Sharma and Sanjeev Khanna also suggested to the Union Government to consider certain guidelines mooted by the amicus curiae in the Uma Khurana fake sting operation case. It was disposing of a petition.

The guidelines, among other things, said channels proposing to telecast sting operations should take permission from a three-member committee appointed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and headed by a retired High Court judge with one member not below the rank of Additional Secretary and the other of the rank of the Additional Commissioner of Police.

The chief editor of the channel would be made responsible for self-regulation and ensuring that programmes were consistent with the rules and complied with all other legal and administrative requirements.

The guidelines should be considered by the Ministry concerned and if it found them suitable, they might be incorporated in an enactment or a code of conduct.