In a significant ruling, the Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition that sought the formulation of media guidelines for reporting on aviation accidents. The petition was filed by Advocate M Pravin in the wake of rising concerns about prejudicial and unverified media coverage following air crash incidents.
The matter was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan. The bench declined to interfere or issue directions to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology regarding the formulation of any such media advisory or regulatory mechanism.
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"There is no legal justification or necessity for this Court to issue such broad directions to regulate media reporting in matters concerning aviation accidents," observed the High Court while dismissing the writ petition (W.P. No. 26535 of 2025).
The plea was triggered by media coverage following the recent Ahmedabad Plane Crash. Advocate Pravin highlighted that several news outlets and social media platforms published content prematurely attributing blame to pilots, even before any formal investigation by the DGCA or competent authorities had concluded.
Such unverified and speculative reporting not only damages the reputation and future career of pilots but also undermines public confidence in the aviation system, the petitioner argued.
Pravin contended that this kind of reporting amounted to a violation of the principles of presumption of innocence, a key tenet of Indian constitutional law. He asserted that this infringes upon the dignity and privacy rights of pilots under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), and 21 of the Constitution of India.
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The petition also made a humanitarian argument. In instances where the pilot loses their life in the crash, the family often endures not just emotional trauma but public humiliation due to media allegations.
“The trauma inflicted on the pilot’s family due to premature media conclusions is antithetical to the constitutional values of dignity and compassion under Article 21,” the petitioner submitted.
He urged the Court to consider the urgent need for collaborative action by the aviation and digital authorities to formulate responsible and ethical digital media guidelines. The intention was not to restrict press freedom but to ensure that reporting practices uphold fairness, especially during ongoing investigations.
Despite these submissions, the High Court was not convinced. It maintained that unless there is a statutory violation or imminent threat to fundamental rights, judicial directions for broad regulatory policies are not warranted.
“Courts must tread carefully when asked to interfere in matters involving policy-making or media freedom unless there is a clear constitutional breach,” the bench observed while delivering its final ruling.
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Thus, the Court dismissed the plea, effectively leaving the matter of responsible reporting in aviation incidents to the wisdom of media houses and the discretion of regulatory agencies.
Case Title: M Pravin v. The Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Others
Case Number: WP No. 26535 of 2025