The Role of Media in Spreading Legal Awareness

Santosh Kumar Tiwari
Assistant Registrar
(Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal)

Volume I, Issue V, 2018

Media is a very powerful tool in a democratic country like India. The positive role and use of the mass media is the strongest tool to maintain democracy. Our country had transformed itself from the Police State to Welfare State. Due to this transformation, the responsibility of the state has increased manifold. To work in such increased responsible manner it is required to make a lot of legislation either by the parliament or by the administrative authority. It is important to disseminate these laws to the general public for whose benefit it has been made. If the public is not aware of their rights and liabilities then the very essence of the law is lost. In such condition, the law becomes the toy in the hand of some people which is the more dangerous situation. Whatever progress the country has done, or what is the new area where our country should focus can be projected with the help of media only. The print media and social media help the society to demand justice. In the present era, it is evident that those social and legal matters aroused in the society in which the media has taken initiatives has got more legal support and reached to the conclusion soon than those which never got the attention of the media. The advertisement of the Right to Information Act has proved the usefulness of the media for the betterment of the administration as well as the country. The public has awakened and got the idea about their rights. In dealing with the government offices, the awareness of the general public works as a strong stimulant to fight corruption. There are certain persons and offices which are diminishing the image of the media in the society. These people and organisations are using the wrong ways to publish the fake news which spread rumours in the society. It has caused a quarrel between the groups in the society. Such fake news spread enmities, disturb the social structures of society. It needs to be curbed. It has been proved in times that the media the Fourth Pillar of the Democracy.

 

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