Rajasthan ordinance bars media from reporting accusations against judges, ministers in state

Jaipur: The Vasundhara Raje government has passed an ordinance which seeks to protect both serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in Rajasthan from being investigated for on-duty action without its prior sanction. The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated on 7 September, also seeks to bar the media from reporting on accusations till the sanction to proceed with the probe is obtained. [caption id=“attachment_4160709” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Vasundhara Raje. PTI[/caption] “No magistrate shall order an investigation nor will any investigation be conducted against a person, who is or was a judge or a magistrate or a public servant,” reads the ordinance which provides 180 days immunity to the officers. If there is no decision on the sanction request post the stipulated time period, it will automatically mean that sanction has been granted. The ordinance amends the Criminal Code of Procedure, 1973 and also seeks curb on publishing and printing or publicising in any case the name, address, photograph, family details of the public servants. Violating the clause would call for two years imprisonment.