Human Rights, Fair Trial, Media and Criminal Contempt in India: Critical Analysis

Abstract

The issue of media trial has been in news recently in India. Few incidents have highlighted the concerns that how the media can play a crucial role in shaping the public opinion about the criminal justice system. Media plays a crucial role of striking a balance between the competing claims with respect to protection of human rights and interests relating to providing and obtaining the information to the masses. This paper deals with the role of media while a criminal case is under progress. In this paper an effort is made to analyze what are rights of media with respect to the reporting of a criminal case? What are the rights of persons involved in the criminal justice systems? How the rights of media and the rights of such persons cross paths? The paper also makes an endeavor to identify the role of judiciary in keeping a check on the media reporting of criminal cases and materials around.