The Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed a writ petition filed by the Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited, Kozhikode, which owns MediaOne channel challenging the order of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting revoking the broadcasting licence of the channel.
Justice N. Nagaresh observed that it emerged from the files produced by theCentre that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had called for intelligence inputs from various intelligence agencies.The files contained the recommendations of the committee of officers in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
It was discernible from the files that the committee of officers had noted that the adverse inputs given by the intelligence agencies against the company were serious in nature and fell under the security rating parameters. Therefore the committee had recommended the I and B Minstry not to renew the licences of the channel.
The court found that that recommendation of the committee as finally accepted by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs were justified by supporting material. Therefore, the court observed that it was not inclined to interfere with the Centre's order.
The Judge also declined the plea of the company to keep in abeyance the judgement to enable them to file an appeal before the Division Bench.The court orally observed that it would not be proper for the court to stay the judgment even for an hour, considering the security of the nation.
The channel contended that it had been granted permission in 2011 for uplinking and delinking programmes after giving security clearance by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The security clearance was required only when a new channel was started.
The guidelines on the uplinking and delinking of programmes did not say that a fresh security clearance should be obtained when the licence was renewed. The order of the Centre amounted to violation of the fundamental right of the company.
