Eenadu publishers question order on allowance to buy newspaper, SC issues notice to Andhra government, media group

The appellants said that the Rs 200 allowance was to buy a newspaper of the Sakshi Group, which they said was owned and controlled by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The bench initially expressed doubts about the reliefs sought and asked Rohatgi to “show us where they have said that we are going to pay Sakshi directly”. (File)

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Andhra Pradesh government and Sakshi Media Group on an appeal by the publishers of Eenadu daily, questioning a government order (GO) to provide allowance to village and ward volunteers to purchase the newspaper of the Sakshi Group, which the appellants say is owned and controlled by Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Appearing for the petitioners, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi told a bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala that all those who support the government get Rs 200 as per the GO to buy the paper, and the move was a violation of Article 19(1)(a).

The bench initially expressed doubts about the reliefs sought and asked Rohatgi to “show us where they have said that we are going to pay Sakshi directly”.

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The senior counsel told the court that it was through the communication from the corporation commissioner to Sakshi and said, “…so it is clear. This is state propaganda”. He said CM Reddy had been impleaded in the matter as he owns the Sakshi group.

Rohatgi also referred to a statement of the CM and submitted that Reddy had said that “Chandra Babu plays drama. Screenplay, direction by yellow media… The direction is provided by Eenadu”.

“He (Chief Minister) has a running battle with his opponent. I am not concerned. I am a newspaper for the last 75 years. He has a running battle with this Chandra Babu (Naidu)…”, Rohatgi said.

“Possibly, the only problem with those would be they are directly paying the amount to Sakshi. Otherwise, if they give Rs 200 more to a volunteer to buy a newspaper, that per se, I think, would not be a problem,” the CJI said.

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Issuing the notice, the court said it will make the same returnable on April 10.

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