SHEELA BARSE vs STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

The Supreme Court held that Articles 19(1)(a) and 21 of the Constitution guarantee the right of citizens to access information about the living conditions of prisoners. The Court emphasized that while the press has a role in educating the public, interviews with prisoners must be regulated and subject to reasonable restrictions. The petitioner, a freelance journalist, was granted the opportunity to reapply for permission to interview prisoners, which must comply with established guidelines, and tape-recording requires special permission. The Court referred to previous judgments including Prabha Dutt v. Union of India, establishing the need for controlled access to prisoner interviews.