SC allows MediaOne TV channel to resume telecast

New Delhi, March 15

The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Malayalam TV channel MediaOne to resume its telecast as it stayed the Centre’s decision to revoke the news channel’s security clearance.

“We order and direct that the Union Government order revoking security clearance to Madhyaman Broadcasting Ltd stands stayed. The petitioner is allowed to run MediaOne on the same basis the channel was being operated before security clearance was revoked,” a Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud said.

The Bench had on March 10 issued notice to the Centre on the TV news channel’s petition against the decision of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to revoke its broadcasting license on the ground of national security. “We saw the order; they say too many details are not available,” it had noted while directing the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to produce all relevant material relied upon by it.

On Tuesday, the Bench asked the Centre to respond to the petition and it kept the issue disclosing adverse intelligence inputs against the TV channel open for final disposal.

The order came on MediaOne’s petition challenging the Kerala High Court’s decision upholding the Centre’s decision to ban telecast of the Malayalam news channel. The High Court had dismissed the plea of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd — which runs MediaOne — challenging the Centre’s January 31 decision.

However, on behalf of the channel senior counsel Dushyant Dave contended that security clearance was not needed for renewal of licences. “My license was for 10 years two months after my actual period expired, they (the Centre) allowed me to continue. They granted me down-linking in 2019 for a period of five years…No media, publication or channel will be saved if this is accepted. Everybody can be shut down tomorrow,” Dave submitted.

As Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj said after the channel was taken off the air it started to broadcast as a YouTube channel and engaged in personal attacks against the judge, the Bench said, “There is complete freedom to criticise the court judgments.”

The decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to deny security clearance was based on intelligence inputs received from various agencies, the high court had noted. The Centre had said the MHA denied security clearance over national security concerns based on intelligence inputs.