The Meghalaya Editors’ and Publishers’ Association (MEPA), which is the umbrella body of all media houses in the state, held an emergency meeting today and expressed shock over the statement issued by the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) yesterday threatening media personnel for their inability to publish bandh calls given by the outfit from time to time.
In this connection, MEPA resolved to urge the HNLC to consider the facts that media personnel can no longer publish any news item regarding bandh call given by any outfit or organisation as per a 2015 order of the Meghalaya High Court.
This order made it clear that the court may proceed under the Contempt of Courts Act against any media house that publishes news or press releases regarding bandh calls. The High Court also directed the state government to register criminal cases under appropriate provisions of the law against any media house that violates this order. MEPA appealed against this order in the Supreme Court but this was dismissed.
“MEPA would like to make it clear that media personnel in Meghalaya till date remain neutral and independent and work on the principles of a professional free press without pressure from any side. The press stands to serve the people and is the voice of the people in a democracy,” it said in a press release.
