The High Court of Karnataka has asked the media, electronic media in particular, to be very careful in reporting the court’s orders, and the stand taken by the State government before the court on various sensitive issues concerning COVID-19.

“The media must ensure that no part of the stand taken by the State government or no part of the orders passed by this court should be misinterpreted or misquoted. The electronic media must note that if there is no accurate reporting of the proceedings before the court, the stand of the State government and other agencies before the court, and the orders passed by this court, it may create confusion amongst the citizens and may spread panic.

A special Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice B.V. Nagarathna made these observations after the government and a litigant complained that a few television channels misinterpreted government’s statement on its contingency plan to create health infrastructure to handle the situation if COVID-19 positive cases touches 10,000 by April-end.

Pointing out that the High Court’s April 9 order recorded State’s preparedness in this regard, the government complained that some channels reported that the government “expects 10,000 COVID-19 positive” cases by April, and one channel went to the extent of reporting that 10,000 cases by the end of April is “pucca.”

False news leads to panic

The government has also produced a copy of the clarification issued in this regard by the Additional Chief Secretary (Health and Family Welfare) stating that “some television channels” misinterpreted the government’s submission before the court to quell any fear or confusion among the public and not to panic due to “false news.”

Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinnappa pointed out that even reporting only a part of the proceedings may create such a confusion and panic among the common people.

“The cause of confusion and panic can be misrepresentation of the orders of this court by the media... We hope and trust that the media will avoid all this,” the Bench observed its order while clarifying that the submission made by the government does not mean that, according to the government, the number of COVID-19 positive cases will rise to 10,000 by the end of April, 2020.

The State government, in response to the court’s query on preparedness, had only pointed out what kind of infrastructure will be required for dealing with 10,000 COVID-19 patients, the Bench observed.