A Bengaluru court’s gag order, which affected nearly 300 media outlets and removed 9,000 reports, was issued ex parte within three hours—petitioners call it a “gross misuse of process.”
BY C Bureau
July 23, 2025 — The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain a petition challenging a gag order issued by a Bengaluru civil court that bars the media from publishing allegedly defamatory content related to the Dharmasthala Sri Manjunatha Swamy temple and its managing family in connection with the recent mass grave case.
A bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice K. Vinod Chandran, and Justice Joymala Bagchi declined to intervene at this stage, directing the petitioner to first approach the Karnataka High Court for relief. “We cannot discourage the High Courts,” Justice Gavai said, noting that the matter should be adjudicated locally before escalating to the apex court.
The Supreme Court today (July 23) refused to entertain a challenge to an ex-parte gag order restraining media from publishing any “defamatory content” against the family running the Sri Manjunathaswamy temple, Dharmasthala (Karnataka) and also the temple in relation to the… pic.twitter.com/l3yrbY3gyf
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) July 23, 2025
The petitioners had argued that the gag order—passed on July 21 by the 11th Additional City Civil and Sessions Court in Bengaluru—was issued ex parte and within just three hours, without hearing the other side. It reportedly affects nearly 300 media organisations and calls for the removal of over 9,000 news stories and links from various platforms.
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Challenging the validity of the order, the plea alleged that the plaintiffs—members of the family that manages the Dharmasthala temple—misrepresented facts before the court. The petition claimed the plaintiffs falsely asserted that the FIR in the mass grave case made no allegations against them or the institutions they control. It further accused the plaintiffs of trying to stifle public scrutiny and media reporting on a matter of grave public interest, including alleged human rights violations and mass burials.
The petition described the local court’s decision as a misuse of judicial authority and a direct attack on press freedom and the public’s right to know.
About the Gag Order
The interim order was issued on July 21 by Judge A.S. Shettar of the Bengaluru Sessions Court, based on a plea filed by D. Harshendra Kumar, a member of the Dharmasthala temple’s managing family. The order restrains any publication or broadcast of allegedly defamatory statements targeting the temple, its head Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, his family, or the institutions they manage.
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The court justified its decision by citing the “exceptional nature” of the case and claimed that some individuals and media outlets had already begun disseminating unverified and potentially defamatory content.
Legal and Public Reactions
Legal experts have raised concerns about the precedent set by such wide-ranging ex parte gag orders, especially in cases involving public institutions or figures. Media organisations have also voiced apprehension over the chilling effect this could have on investigative journalism and public accountability.
No official response has yet come from the Karnataka High Court, but observers expect the case to reach it shortly following the Supreme Court’s directive.
