No violation of programme code, Malayalam news channel tells SC

New Delhi: Malayalam news channel ‘MediaOne’ on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that there is not a single instance when the channel violated the programme code and security clearance from the Centre is not needed for renewal of broadcast licence.
Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the news channel, contended before a bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Hima Kohli that government does not have omnibus discretion to impose any new condition and emphasised on the aspect of freedom of press.
Dave said the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 does not contemplate any requirement of security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs for the renewal of broadcast licence. He said the Act itself provides certain conditions which need to be fulfilled like interest of sovereignty, and security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, incitement of offence, decency and morality, and contempt of court. “There is not a single instance when we violated the programme code,” he said.
He vehemently argued that the government cannot put any new conditions, and the channel is not eligible for registration and renewal of license if the conditions in Act are not fulfilled.
Also Read Brazil’s Supreme Court upholds move to ban fake news The top court was informed that the Act provides that renewal will be considered after a period of 10 years, subject to the condition that the channel should not have been found violating programme code on five occasions.
The bench noted that renewal is like grant of license at the initial level, which gives it uplinking rights for a fresh period of 10 years.