A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and Cyriac Joseph, however, hoped the media would exercise certain restraint and self-regulation in reporting such incidents.
“We expect the media to exercise restraint and self-regulation. Punishing the media will not solve the problem. The media is an important tool of democracy. Let us see what kind of self-restraint they will observe.
“It is a matter that needs to be examined at length,” Justice Kabir speaking for the bench said on Friday.
The apex court made the remarks while rejecting the plea of petitioner and advocate Surat Singh who sought initiation of contempt proceedings against “India Today” magazine for reporting minute details of the Aarushi murder case.
Singh submitted the magazine was reporting explicit details of the deceased despite the apex court’s earlier order on 22nd July 2008, asking the media not to pre-judge the issue.