Stalin drops AIADMK defamation cases against media

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday ordered withdrawal of 90 defamation cases against journalists, dailies and television channels.

Stalin’s party Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) had made an election promise that on coming to power, it would withdraw defamation cases filled by the previous All India Anna Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government. The DMK had said in its manifesto that "all defamatory cases filed against journalists out of vengeance" would be withdrawn.

The publications that would benefit by the decision are English dailies The Hindu, The Times of India, The Economic Times, Tamil newspapers Dinamalar, DMK organ Murasoli, Dinakaran and Tamil magazines nanda Vikatan, Junior Vikatan and Nakkeran faced such cases. The television channels were Puthiya Thalaimurai, News 7, Kalaignar Tholaikatchi, Sathiyam, Captain, NDTV and Times Now.

The highest number of defamation cases had been filed against the editor of Tamil magazine Nakheeran, with 23 cases against him. The DMK mouthpiece Murasoli daily has 17 cases against it.

There were four cases filed against the editor of The Hindu newspaper, The Times of India’s editor faced 5 cases, while one case was filed against The Economic Times. There were 12 cases against the editor of Tamil daily Dinamalar, 11 against the editor of weekly magazine Junior Vikatan, 9 against Ananda Vikatan and 4 against Tamil daily Dinakaran.

The chief minister also announced the withdrawal of 130 defamation cases filed against political leaders and functionaries by the AIADMK government.