Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 1: The state high court (HC), which is examining petitions filed by journalists, Ravi Belagere and Anilraj, questioning their sentencing by the privileges committee of the legislature, advised all concerned with the case including the assembly speaker to behave with an open, liberal mindset. This opinion was expressed by the single judge bench of the HC presided over by Justice A S Bopanna on Thursday November 30 orally.

The bench, which took up the petitions for consideration on Thursday, also ordered issuances of notices in the case to the state assembly speaker, K B Koliwad, head of privileges committee, and also MLAs, B N Nagraj and S R Vishwanath. It also adjourned hearing in the case to December 6.

File photo - Anil Raj and Ravi Belagere along with his daughter Chetana Belagere in Vidhan Soudha 

Advocates appearing on behalf of the petitioners argued that the assembly speaker and head of the assembly's privileges committee had violated Indian constitution in deciding on jail terms for the petitioners. He sought stay against the speaker's order as the petitioners face the threat of getting arrested.

In response, the bench observed that the case is before the HC, and there is a need to examine in detail the provisions of the constitution on the sentencing of the journalists. It said that a justified decision would be taken by the court after hearing arguments and counter arguments in the case.