As of today, April 21, 2025, The Indian Express has approached the Supreme Court of India to challenge a Gujarat High Court order that rejected its apology affidavit concerning inaccurate reporting of court proceedings. The High Court had directed the newspaper to submit a fresh apology, deeming the initial one insufficient .
The case originated from a report published on August 13, 2024, which allegedly misrepresented the Gujarat High Court’s observations during a hearing related to amendments in the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Act. The High Court found the report misleading, leading to the issuance of notices to The Indian Express, The Times of India, and Divya Bhaskar. Subsequently, the newspapers issued apologies, but the High Court deemed them inadequate and instructed the publication of a more prominent apology.
In response, The Indian Express has filed a plea before the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court’s directive. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai and AG Masih, granted leave in the matter and tagged it along with a special leave petition filed by Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd (the company that owns The Times of India) against the same High Court order .
This development is significant as it addresses the balance between media freedom and judicial authority, particularly concerning the accurate reporting of court proceedings.
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