Author: Dhananjay Mahan
Publication: The Times of India
Date: January 21, 2026

Putting a premium on freedom of media, Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Punjab Kesari, a major regional newspaper, to continue operating one of its printing presses which was closed by the state pollution control board, allegedly for publishing an adverse report against the Bhagwant Singh Mannled AAP govt in Punjab.

Seeking urgent remedy against an order ostensibly issued to muzzle the media, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi. He sought stay on the order of the pollution control board to close the printing press and a hotel run by the newspaper group.

The bench said that while it is not excessively concerned about the hotel, the printing press cannot be shut down. For Punjab govt, advocate general Maninderjit Singh Bedi and additional AG Shadan Farasat justified the action, claiming liquor bottles were found in the printing press while the hotel had violated the pollution law.