Thiruvananthapuram: In an effort to resolve the ongoing row between journalists and advocates, the conciliatory meeting convened by High Court judges C N Raveendran and P R Ramachandra Menon on Friday resolved to constitute media relations committee to promote healthy relationship between the two sections. The two judges held separate meetings with the advocates and journalists on the directions of Supreme Court judge Kurien Joseph to break the current impasse.
At the meetings held with the advocates in district court premises and with the journalists at the Government Guest House, the judges gave a patient hearing to both the sides and recorded the statements pertaining to violent incidents that took place in district court premises on Thursday. Both sides decided to let bygones be bygones. It was decided to constitute media relations committee headed by district judge which will comprise of representatives of bar association, advocates clerks association, KUWJ and Press Club. It will meet at least once in a month to discuss issues concerning the stake holders.
The meeting decided to re-establish the friendly relations between the mediapersons and lawyers and take steps to resolve all issues amicably. Steps would be taken to mutually withdraw the criminal cases filed by journalists and advocates against each other following the violent incidents. The media rooms in court premises which had been closed down would be reopened at the earliest.
“We have placed our concerns and demands before the judges. They heard us in detail and assured to ensure peaceful atmosphere in court premises for media persons to discharge their professional responsibilities without fear or hindrance,” said Pradeep Pillai, president Thiruvananthapruam Press Club. Trivandrum District Bar Association president K P Jayachandran said the advocates had raised certain issues at the meeting held with High Court judges.
“We are for media relations committee comprising representatives from both sides. But we have demanded the closure of media rooms in court premises,” he said. He said the association had also demanded that the vehicles of media organisations and other private vehicles should not be permitted to enter the court premises. “At the meeting we appealed to the advocates to cooperate with the initiatives to restore normalcy,” he said. “We have had good relations with the media persons. But provocative actions led to the ugly situation. We will try to ensure that such situations are avoided in future,” he added.
