Lower courts and powerful political figures are increasingly seeking blanket pre-publication gag orders to prevent the press from reporting on ongoing investigations or unverified FIRs. This misuse of the sub-judice rule forces the media into mandatory silence, severely limiting public access to ongoing civil and criminal proceedings.

The Bharat Media Association argues that these proactive injunctions violate the principle of open justice. We maintain that objective, factual reporting on ongoing trials is a fundamental democratic right, not a disruption of the judicial process.