New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it does not want to demoralise high courts as they are vital pillars of democracy, and observed that critical remarks like those made by the Madras High Court against the Election Commission are often made in an open dialogue between the bar and bench.
A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud made the observation while hearing a plea filed by the Election Commission (EC) against some critical observations made by the Madras High Court, holding the poll panel responsible for a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.
The top court said seeking relief that media should not report on observations is ‘too far fetched’ and it should be able to report everything to create accountability:
It said that the media is an important and powerful watchdog in democracy and cannot be stopped from reporting discussions in higher courts.
The Election Commission had moved the top court on Saturday against some critical observations made by the Madras High Court.
The high court had observed that EC officials concerned should probably be tried on murder charges for their failure to ensure adherence to COVID-19 protocols during the election process in four states ana a Union Territory.
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