In the wake of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 that claimed 260 lives, an advocate has approached the Madras High Court seeking judicial intervention to frame guidelines regulating aviation-related media coverage, particularly during ongoing investigations.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed on Thursday by advocate M. Pravin, who urged the court to direct the government to implement safeguards against the dissemination of unverified and speculative content by news outlets, digital platforms, and social media in the immediate aftermath of aviation accidents.
The petition criticises the prevailing media practice of prematurely attributing blame to flight crew, especially pilots, before the completion of official inquiries. Citing widespread speculative reports following the June 12 crash, Pravin argued that such reporting not only tarnishes the reputations and careers of aviation professionals but also violates their constitutional rights to dignity, privacy, and the presumption of innocence under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), and 21 of the Constitution.
“The reckless publication of unverified or defamatory content damages public trust in the aviation sector and undermines the integrity of ongoing investigations,” the petition states.
Pravin submitted that he had already sent a formal representation on July 14 to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The representation proposed several institutional safeguards, including:
- Advisories to media houses on responsible reporting;
- Confidentiality protocols to protect the identities of pilots and preliminary investigation data;
- Content moderation frameworks for digital platforms under the Information Technology Rules.
However, he noted that no substantive response or action had been taken by the authorities.
The petition contends that the current inaction contravenes statutory obligations under the Information Technology Act, the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, and existing aviation regulations. It warns that the lack of regulatory checks could lead to erosion of fairness and credibility in both aviation safety assessments and journalistic ethics.
Calling for urgent collaboration among ministries, regulators, and media stakeholders, the petition seeks the High Court’s direction to establish comprehensive norms ensuring responsible and ethical reporting in the aftermath of aviation disasters.
