Kapil Sibal criticizes judiciary and press for failing democracy

Senior Advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal has criticized the judiciary and the press, describing them as failing in their roles as the essential pillars of democracy. Speaking at the Prem Bhatia Memorial Lecture, Sibal argued that if these institutions bend to power excesses or prioritize self-preservation and commercial interests, the Republic will be hollowed out.

Regarding the judiciary, Sibal noted that public faith is eroding. He cited the continued incarceration of student activist Umar Khalid, who has been in custody since September 2020 without trial, as an example of the court failing to apply the principle that ‘bail is the rule, jail is the exception’. He also pointed to the opaqueness of the Supreme Court Collegium as a sign of institutional strain.

On the media, Sibal stated that a large section of the press has retreated from its responsibility to hold power accountable. He attributed this decline to commercial interests and a dependence on government advertisements, which he claims causes impartial journalism to be sacrificed for financial gain.