Ban on MediaOne for ‘security reasons’: SC to hear plea against ban on Kerala channel on Thursday

Contending that it is “too serious” a matter, Dave said that the channel has functioned for 11 years. “We have 350 employees and millions of viewers. We have been shut down due to some secret files from the Home Ministry and court has justified it behind our back,” he submitted.

He said it raises questions of the Right to Information (RTI) and media freedom.

MediaOne TV went off air on January 31.

The CJI initially agreed to list it on March 11 but Dave said he had some personal difficulties that day and requested the court to hear it on March 10. The CJI agreed and said he will list it before the appropriate bench.

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.

A division bench of the High Court had, on March 2, upheld the ban on the channel, dismissing appeals filed by the management and journalists who had challenged a February 9 order of a single judge of the HC refusing to lift it.

The division bench of Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chali observed that when certain issues with respect to security of the State are concerned, the government is at liberty to decline to renew the permission granted without disclosing complete reasons for the non-renewal. The bench observed that in the files produced before it, there are certain aspects affecting the public order, or the security of the State, on the basis of the report of the Intelligence Bureau and other investigating agencies.

It said that “certain aspects relating to the security of the State are mentioned to the effect that Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited has some linkages with certain undesirable forces, which is stated to be a security threat”.