“Why should matrimonial matters be highlighted so much in every channel?” Delhi High Court questions media outlets

The Delhi High Court on Thursday took exception to news outlets divulging personal details of individuals when reporting about family and matrimonial matters. .A single-judge bench of Justice Rekha Palli was hearing a petition to prohibit thirteen major news outlets from printing, publishing, displaying, circulating or airing any news related to matrimonial disputes and family matters. The prayer was made in a case concerning a dispute between a man, his wife and daughters.“Why should matrimonial matters be highlighted so much in every channel. Media may have a right to report but in matters such as these and even in matrimonial matters, what is the need to go into detail and report,” the Court proceeded to ask. .The news outlets mentioned in this case were ANI, Republic TV, Sudarshan News, Times of India, Navbharat Times, Yahoo, Amar Ujala, Punjab Kesari, DNA Entertainment, News 18, ABP News and Business World Media Private Limited..The Court was informed that the petitioner had wrongly made Twitter India a party to the petition when it ought to have been Twitter Inc. .Similarly, the Court was told that news channel NDTV had been wrongly arrayed as News Delhi Television Limited, whereas its actual name was NDTV Convergence Limited. .These objections were taken up record by the Court in its order. .Upon the request of the petitioner, the News Broadcasting Association was also impleaded as a respondent by the Court. .During the hearing, Advocate Sanjeev Agarwal appearing for the petitioner apprised the court that there are two aspects involved in the case - one pertaining to the circumstances of the instant case and the other on privacy in respect of matrimonial cases in general.Advocate Nisha Bhambani, counsel for the News Broadcasting Association (NBA), argued that the NBA has jurisdiction only over television channels and not over “.coms”, thus clarifying that there was little she could do to control parties such as Yahoo India..The court said that the parties would be given time to file their replies and rejoinders and set the next date of hearing as August 27,2021. .Read the order: