SC seeks govt's response on PIL on lay-offs, salary cuts in media industry

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Central government and others on public interest litigation (PIL) against the lay-offs and salary cuts in the media industry due to the ongoing lockdown.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice NV Ramana and comprising of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice BR Gavai issued notices to the Union of India (UoI), Indian Newspaper Society (INS) and News Broadcasters Association (NBA), and slated the matter for after two weeks.

Advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the petitioners, said that we heard that the jobs of journalists were being terminated.

"Let the government respond," the bench said, to which Solicitor General Tushar Mehra sought a copy of the petition. These are the matter which requires a hearing, Justice Ramana said.

The PIL, jointly filed by the National Alliance of Journalists (NAJ), Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), and Brihan Mumbai Union of Journalists (BMUJ), sought the court's immediate intervention in the matter and said the media employees, who were asked to leave or whose salary was reduced, should be protected during this crisis.

The DUJ, in its petition, asked the Central government, INS and NBA to ensure that media employers and organisations do not misuse the lockdown and take such kind of arbitrary action against their employees during this crisis.