Allahabad High Court stays FIR against journalist over school report

The Allahabad High Court has stayed a First Information Report (FIR) filed against journalist Amit Yadav, who reported on the poor infrastructure of a government school in Lucknow. The court criticized the state administration's decision to register the case, describing it as an attempt to ‘kill the messenger’ and suggesting the move stemmed from an ‘ego issue’ rather than a desire to address the reported deficiencies.

Yadav had visited Purva Madhyamik Vidyalaya in Gosaiganj to report on issues including filthy toilets and a lack of safe drinking water. While the FIR accused the journalist of trespassing, disrupting classes, and being politically motivated, the High Court bench noted that submitted photographs prima facie showed the ‘abysmal condition’ of the school’s sanitation and premises.

The court emphasized that under the Right to Education Act, 2009, authorities are obligated to ensure schools meet minimum standards and should have used the media report as a prompt for improvement. The bench has directed the Uttar Pradesh additional chief secretary for basic education to file a personal affidavit regarding the school’s current condition within four weeks.