Shiroor Seer’s death| No stay on media reporting: HC

Team Udayavani, Jul 31, 2018, 12:53 PM IST

• Writ filed with HC to stop media coverage
• Bench orders issuance of emergency notices 
   

Udupi: The state High Court (HC) has refused to stay media coverage of the unnatural and mysterious death of Shiroor Mutt Seer, Sri Lakshmivara Theertha Swamiji on July 30^th.

A writ petition had been filed with the HC by the president of Udupi Ashta Matha Hitharakshana Samiti, H V Gautham, and religious scholar, B Ramachandra Upadhyaya, seeking directions to prevent the electronic and print media from covering baseless news about the deceased Seer. The petition was presided over by a single judge bench by Justice Aravind Kumar on Monday July 30^th.

Senior advocate, B V Acharya, argued on behalf of the petitioners and said that the media was publishing reports containing arbitrary stories and were announcing who is guilty based on their own investigations.

The behavior of the media looks as if implementation of punishment alone is pending. Therefore, through an interim order, publication of reports relating to the Swamiji should be stayed, they appealed.

After hearing the petitioner’s arguments, the bench ordered the issuance of emergency notices to the editors of private television channels, daily newspapers, weeklies, and internet news websites named as defendants in the petition. An emergency notice was also sent to the state home secretary and the hearing was posted to August 2^nd.