‘Security claims can’t be made out of thin air’: SC sets aside ban on ‘MediaOne’ Malayalam news channel

NEW DELHI, APRIL 5: The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the Kerala High Court order which had upheld the Centre’s decision to ban Malayalam news channel ‘MediaOne’ telecast on security grounds, news agency PTI reported.

A bench comprising Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli rejected the argument of the Centre that some of the channel’s broadcasts affected national security, according to Bar & Bench. “National security claims cannot be made out of thin air, there must be material facts backing it,” the apex court said, while hearing the case.

MediaOne TV was banned by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs refused to give clearance to the channel, citing “security reasons”. On February 9, a single bench of the HC had upheld the ban on the channel, which has the backing of the Kerala chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Quashing the Centre’s ban on the channel, the Supreme Court on Wednesday noted that an “independent press is necessary for robust democracy”.

The court also refused to accept the Centre’s stance that it will only submit the reasons for its ban in sealed cover, Bar & Bench reported. “The sealed cover procedure adopted has rendered the rights of the petitioner as a dry parchment and the procedural guarantees to the petitioners have been rendered otiose. Sealed cover has curbed the right to fair and reasonable proceedings leaving appellants in the dark to fight out the case,” the Court said.

-TIE