Supreme Court grants interim protection to Editors Guild of India over Manipur issue

The Supreme Court of India has granted protection to the members of Editors Guild of India against whom FIRs had been lodged after they released a fact finding report concerning Manipur violence. 

As per latest reports, the matter will be next taken up for hearing on September 11.

The bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Misra passed the order while issuing notice to the northeastern state of Manipur on the writ petition filed by the EGI members. 

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Although the petition was not listed today, CJI Chandrachud agreed to take up the matter after it was mentioned by Senior Advocate Shyam Divan for urgent hearing. Divan said that two FIRs have been registered against the members of the fact finding team alleging that their report "promoted enmity".

Earlier this morning, Divan had requested the bench to hear the matter urgently because the senior journalists involved in the case was apprehending arrest. 

The Guild's 24-page findings were released on September 2. The fact-finding team was sent to Manipur to examine the media reportage in the state from August 7 to 10. The FIRs are based on complaints describing the report as "false, fabricated and sponsored".

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