NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday said suspension of broadcast by Kannada news channel Power TV after it extensively reported the alleged sex scandal involving JD(S) politicians appeared to be “sheer political vendetta” and stayed a Karnataka HC order that had virtually blocked its operations.
“We must zealously protect the right to free speech.The more we hear arguments in this case, we are inclined to think it is a political vendetta. The channel extensively covered the sex scandal, so it is blocked. It is sheer political vendetta,” said a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
Protesting the CJI’s remarks, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, “The Supreme Court said something which may not be justified from the records. The show cause notice to the channel was issued on Feb 9 as it was found that the license for uplink and downlink permissions have been sublet by the channel. Subletting the uplink and downlink permissions can’t be done without the ministry of home affairs’ express permission as it could be misused to the detriment of the nation.”
The bench’s remarks came after it learnt that the writ petitions in the HC against the channel were filed by two functionaries of JD(S). After the SG’s protest, the bench stayed the HC order till Monday and said,” We are not concerned with politics. We will proceed strictly in accordance with law.”
Appearing for the TV channel, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar said there was no basis for the HC to suspend the broadcast of news and other programmes by the channel. He said the petitioners had approached the HC after the channel extensively showed the sex scandal allegedly involving Prajwal and Suraj Revanna.
A single judge bench of the HC heard counsel for the petitioners, the channel and the Centre and ordered Power TV to stop broadcasting. The channel stopped news broadcasts and began transmitting a blank screen with the message “Satyameva Jayate”.
“We must zealously protect the right to free speech.The more we hear arguments in this case, we are inclined to think it is a political vendetta. The channel extensively covered the sex scandal, so it is blocked. It is sheer political vendetta,” said a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
Protesting the CJI’s remarks, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said, “The Supreme Court said something which may not be justified from the records. The show cause notice to the channel was issued on Feb 9 as it was found that the license for uplink and downlink permissions have been sublet by the channel. Subletting the uplink and downlink permissions can’t be done without the ministry of home affairs’ express permission as it could be misused to the detriment of the nation.”
The bench’s remarks came after it learnt that the writ petitions in the HC against the channel were filed by two functionaries of JD(S). After the SG’s protest, the bench stayed the HC order till Monday and said,” We are not concerned with politics. We will proceed strictly in accordance with law.”
Appearing for the TV channel, senior advocate Ranjit Kumar said there was no basis for the HC to suspend the broadcast of news and other programmes by the channel. He said the petitioners had approached the HC after the channel extensively showed the sex scandal allegedly involving Prajwal and Suraj Revanna.
A single judge bench of the HC heard counsel for the petitioners, the channel and the Centre and ordered Power TV to stop broadcasting. The channel stopped news broadcasts and began transmitting a blank screen with the message “Satyameva Jayate”.
