The Supreme Court’s October 11 order, issued after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured no hindrance, declared that “lawyers, journalists and other professionals shall not be hindered in discharge of their professional duties in any manner whatsoever.”
But despite the directive, police and security forces in Delhi, Pune and Ahmedabad detained 38 journalists over two days of protests, citing crowd control as the reason.
Several reporters were taken into custody even after showing valid press credentials, and their mobile phones were confiscated—an act that, according to EGI, violates the Court’s clear mandate.
EGI’s statement, released on Monday, calls for strict enforcement of the Supreme Court order and demands that authorities hold the officers responsible for the violations accountable.
In the wake of the incident, a Delhi‑based reporter, Rahul Sharma, said he felt “shocked and silenced” as his breath was taken while covering a rally, highlighting the chilling effect on investigative journalism.
The Guild has urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue a directive to police units across the country, and a meeting with the police chief is slated for Wednesday to formulate corrective measures.