One person’s fact, another’s fake news: Media must improve verification too | Editorial Comment

The Bombay High Court’s decision to strike down the central government’s Fact Check Unit (FCU) offers a reassuring judicial confirmation of basic constitutional principles critical to the functioning of democracy in India. The 2-1 verdict underlined that the existence of such an institution violated fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, the right to practise any profession or occupation, trade or business, and the right to equal protection before the law. The verdict set out in no uncertain terms the impact of the FCU. It pointed out that judging information in terms of fake, false or misleading