Madras High Court Dismisses Plea To Regulate Media Reporting Of Aviation Accidents

The bench of Chief Justice MM Shrivastava and Justice Sunder Mohan dismissed the plea filed by Advocate M Pravin.

Pointing to the recent media reporting in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad Plane Crash, Pravin said that often, after aviation incidents, news agencies and social media platforms publish unverified content prejudicing and attributing the blame to the pilots. It was also submitted that such prejudicial reporting damages the reputation of pilots and their career prospects and affects their personal dignity and well-being.

The petitioner had submitted that most often, media outlets blame the pilots even before the conclusion of the investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) or other competent authorities. It was also submitted that such premature blame on the pilots would undermine the public confidence in the aviation ecosystem and the integrity of the official investigation.

The petitioner submitted that casting blame on the pilots prematurely violates the principles of presumption of innocence and the fundamental rights of dignity and privacy guaranteed under Article 14, Article 19(1)(a), and Article 21 of the Constitution.

The petitioner also pointed out that in cases where the pilot also loses life in an air accident, the pilot's family is put through additional trauma and humiliation, and such conduct is antithetical to the principles of dignity and compassion enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The petitioner thus pointed out that the situation required urgent collaboration among the authorities and relevant stakeholders to establish mechanisms that promote responsible and ethical digital reporting.

Case Title: M Pravin v. The Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Others

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 260

Case NO: WP 26535/2025