A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in Telangana High Court seeking a direction to the state government to extend financial assistance of ₹30,000 to all journalists, who are discharging their duties and are unable to meet their day to day needs due to the ongoing lockdown. The petition was filed by senior Advocate Rapolu Bhaskar.
A division bench of the HC heard the case through video conference . Arguing the case on behalf of the petitioner, senior counsel Macharla Rangaiah urged the HC to issue directions to the state government to provide financial assistance to the journalists, who are covering the news related to Covid 19 virus by keeping their lives at risk. He also urged the HC to provide health insurance and free masks and medical kits to all the journalists. Following this, the division bench has issued orders to the principal secretary of information and public relations department of the state government press academy of the state and asked them to file the counter on the issue . It later adjourned the case for two weeks.
Declaring the action of the respondents in not providing financial assistance of Rs 30 000/ to the journalists in the State of Telangana and they are unable to meet day to day expenses during lockdown and some journalists and their family members in Telangana State are not in a position to meet their daily requirements for food rents and medicine etc due to lack of finance is illegal and arbitrary and consequently direct the respondents to provide financial assistance of Rs 30 000/ to the journalists in the State of Telangana and Save the journalists of Telangana state from starvation and also to direct the respondents to provide masks protection kits and sanitizers to the journalists for their safety purpose during their duties and also ask the concerned authorities to submit the reports of regarding distribution of amount and safety measures by the respondents and concerned officers in the interest of justice