Leading Telugu Daily ‘Eenadu’Files Plea in SC Claims AP Government GO Promotes ‘Shakshi’ Newspaper Owned By CM; Court Issues Notice.

(Judicial Quest News Network)

New Delhi 30. March, 2023 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Andhra Pradesh government and others on a plea moved by a firm that publishes the leading Telugu daily ‘Eenadu’ challenging a government order ‘aimed’ at increasing the salesof the ‘Sakshi’ newapaper, which is owned and published by a company by AP Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala  issued notice returnable on April 19 to ‘Sakshi’ and its owner, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaghan Mohan Reddy.

The petitioner has approached the Supreme Court against the order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court which refused to quash the GO in question.

Earlier the petitioner had approached High Court praying for an ex parte ad interim direction suspending or staying the operation of the impugned GO. The GO in question sanctioned Rs. 200/- per month from the State funds as additional financial support for each Gram Volunteer/ Ward Volunteer to enable them to purchase one widely circulated Telugu newspaper which gives them knowledge and awareness on contemporary issues and information on Government schemes.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court, while rejecting the plea to stay the government order, stated that there was no material showing that the order instructed the volunteers and village secretariats/ ward secretariats to subscribe to ‘Sakshi’. The plea is filed by Advocate Parmatama Singh and argued by enior Advocate Mulul Rohatgi.

For ‘Eendau’ senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi informed the Supreme Court that a monthly subscription os Sakshi costs RS.176/- as compared to Rs. 207/- charged by ‘Eenadu’

The CJI asked whether the person could decide which newspaper to purchase, to which Rohatgi responded that the government is targeting all government volunteers and supporters, who are being forced to choose ‘Sakshi’  over ‘Eenadu’.

The CJI then enquired why there was an objection to the Rs. 200/- allowance.

Rohatgi claimed that the amountprovided by the government was being directly credited to Sakshiand not given to the volunteers to buy the newspaper of their choice.

The CJI then asked Rohatgi to show evidence to which Rohatgi did.

Rohatgi further argued that the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was the owner of the ‘Sakahi ‘and thus wanted to boost its sales.

Further it was submitted that the Hon’ble High Court AP failed to appreciate that the aforesaid GOs were ex-facie violative of Article 14 and 19 of the Constitution of India.

The objective of the said GOs is to provide the Gram Volunteers and Functionaries with ‘one widely circulated daily newspaper’. However, contrary to the said objective, the widest circulated newspaper i.e the ‘Eenadu’ was deliberately kept out on account of the fixation of additional financial support to Rs. 200/- per month.

The aforesaid GOs are even otherwise bad-in-law as the sole intent which is evident from the bare perusal  of the same is to provide volunteers with newspaper which gives them information on government schemes and to counter wrong propagation of the said schemes by any media or person. It is clear from the reading of the aforesaid conditions that the state government has not given free choice to the readers of subscribing newspapers of their own choice and has forced them to buy only sakshi which promotes the government political agenda of a particular political party and not to subscribe any newspaper which is critical of the state government.

It is further submitted that it is the clear case of the conflict of interest as the respondent is the Chief Minister of the State of Andhra Pradesh was directly controlling the respondent no.7 which publishing the Sakshi newspaper.

Rohatgi mentioned that Jagan Reddy wanted to attack “Eenadu” to settle the score with Opposition leader N. Chandrababu Naidu”.

The present government of the Andhra Pradesh also said that Eenadu is yellow journalism and do not go for it.

The Supreme Court has issued notice in the matter and asked the government ot file a counter by April 10.