Madhya Pradesh High Court Rejects Petition Against Misleading News on Muslims

Court Dismisses Petition Regarding Misleading Reports

The High Court of Madhya Pradesh has rejected a petition that sought to impose restrictions on news articles purportedly disseminating false information about Muslims and Islam, as reported on Thursday.

The writ petition aimed to initiate criminal proceedings against the editors of two Hindi-language newspapers. It alleged that these publications employed phrases like 'love jihad' to incite communal tensions and offend the religious sentiments of Muslims, according to legal news sources.

Additionally, the petition requested the court to establish guidelines to prevent the spread of misleading and false narratives in both print and electronic media concerning Muslims and Islam.

The term 'love jihad' refers to a controversial theory propagated by Hindutva proponents, suggesting that Muslim men are engaged in a coordinated effort to deceive Hindu women into romantic relationships for the purpose of conversion to Islam.

The Union home ministry has informed Parliament that there is no legal definition for 'love jihad' under current Indian laws.

Justice Vishal Mishra, presiding over the case, remarked that the issues raised in the petition were more suitable for public interest litigation rather than a mandamus plea, leading to its dismissal due to improper filing.

A mandamus is a judicial order from a higher court directing a lower court or public official to fulfill a legal obligation.

During the proceedings, the state government's attorney contested the petitioner's requests, asserting that he lacked the legal standing to seek such extensive remedies.

In defense, the petitioner claimed that as a member of the Muslim community, he was directly impacted by the alleged defamatory reporting. He mentioned that he had lodged a complaint with the police, but no action had been taken.

The court noted that if the police had not acted, the petitioner could explore other legal avenues, such as filing a complaint with higher authorities or seeking recourse through a magistrate under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita provisions.