Say over 95 pc newspaper reports lack credibility

Kathmandu, April 29:

A lawyers’ panel formed to study irregularities in the Supreme Court and to promote people’s faith in the judiciary today accused mass media of tarnishing the image of the judiciary.

“Though the media have the right to publish issues related to the judiciary, over 95 per cent information published in newspapers have no credibility,” a member of the panel Bharat Raj Uprety claimed.

The panel was constituted by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Speaking at an interaction organised by the Press Council here today, Uprety said most of the newspaper reports have not even used correct legal terminologies. He, however, did not cite any report to support his claim.

“Newspapers have been carrying reports that are not proved by any evidence,” Uprety said adding: “Though the media have the right to publish issues related to the court and the judges, they do not have the right to tarnish the image of the judiciary.”

“The press should bear social responsibility by publishing only factual information,” Uprety said.

Coordinator of the study panel, senior advocate Shree Hari Aryal, said that differences between the judiciary and the press surface time and again.

“The journalists should give facts, as they do not have any alternative to move the court if their rights are infringed,” he added.

“The judiciary and the press should work considering their own limitations,” Aryal called.

Rajendra Dahal, chairman of the Press Council, urged the journalists to follow their code of conduct properly while writing news.

He asked the scribes to disseminate only factual and true information even if they cannot cite their source of information.

Another advocate Kamal Naryan Das said that the panel would gather information from the Supreme Court and the Judicial Council to prepare their report on the issue.