The Delhi High Court has allowed three international news agencies — Reuters, Associated Press (AP) and Agence France-Presse (AFP) – to cover the trial of the December 16 gangrape case. The court, however, did not allow independent foreign journalists to cover the court proceedings in the matter.
Justice Rajiv Shakdher gave the decision on a plea seeking permission for reporting the matter filed by the members of the Foreign Correspondents' Club through counsel Meenakshi Lekhi.
The foreign journalists had taken the plea that since publication of journals, magazines, newspapers for which they were reporting are permitted to be circulated in India and abroad and Press Information Bureau (PIB) also recognizes them, they should be permitted to report about the trial in the gangrape case.
The plea was moved after the court had on March 22 allowed the national print and electronic media to cover the trial saying they were registered with PIB, government, and are reporting to various foreign media as responsible journalists.
