Supreme Court stays centre's ban on MediaOne channel


2 min read
Read later
Print
Share

Supreme Court | Photo: AP

New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India here on Tuesday issued an interim order staying the central government's telecast ban on Malayalam channel MediaOne. In it's interim order, the apex court allowed the channel to resume broadcasting.

The court accepted the pleas by Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited and its employees against the decision of the union government to deny clearance for renewing its licence.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Surya Kant and Vikram Nath said that the news and current affairs channel will continue its operations as it was operating prior to the ban of telecast.

The bench left the question open on whether content of files on the basis of which the ban order was passed be given to the channel to enable it to defend itself.

The top court asked the Centre to file a detailed counter affidavit by March 26 on the appeals filed by the channel against the High Court order.

On March 10, the top court had sought response from the Centre on the channel's plea of against the Kerala High Court order upholding the Centre's decision to ban its telecast on security grounds.

Earlier, the Kerala High Court upheld the Centre's decision to bar telecast of the Malayalam news channel and had dismissed the plea of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd -- which operates MediaOne -- challenging the central government's January 31 decision.

The high court had said that the decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deny security clearance was based on intelligence inputs received from various agencies.

The central government had also said that the MHA denied security clearance over national security concerns based on intelligence inputs.

The channel had contended that MHA clearance was only required at the time for fresh permission/license and not at the time of renewal.

It had also contended that, according to the uplinking and downlinking guidelines, security clearance was only required at the time of application for fresh permission and not at the time of renewal of licence.

( with inputs from PTI)

Add Comment
Related Topics

Get daily updates from Mathrubhumi.com

Newsletter
Youtube
Telegram
Disclaimer: Kindly avoid objectionable, derogatory, unlawful and lewd comments, while responding to reports. Such comments are punishable under cyber laws. Please keep away from personal attacks. The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of readers and not that of Mathrubhumi.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
p musammil

1 min

Man arrested for allegedly molesting woman passenger on KSRTC bus in Thodupuzha

Jun 1, 2023


flashing nudity in bus cherupuzha kannur

1 min

Cherupuzha flashing incident: Suspect nabbed

Jun 1, 2023


Bishop Franco Mulakka

3 min

Former Jalandhar bishop Franco Mulakkal resigns, to assume title of Bishop Emeritus

Jun 1, 2023