Govt puts on hold NDTVIndia ban

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Nov 8, 2016, DHNS: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Monday put on hold its recent order banning NDTV India, a Hindi news channel, for 24 hours from November 9 midnight over its coverage of the Pathankot terror attack.

The decision came after the executive co-chairperson of the NDTV group, Prannoy Roy, met Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and urged him to review the order.

Earlier in the day, NDTV India moved the Supreme Court challenging the ministry’s decision. The court posted the matter for hearing on Tuesday.

“Roy and his team met the minister today evening and told him that the perspective of NDTV was not fully and adequately appreciated. They urged the minister to review the (prohibition) order issued against NDTV India and put its execution on hold till such time as the review is done and a final decision is taken,” an official source told DH.

Naidu gave a patient hearing to the delegation led by Roy and agreed to their request for a review of the blackout order, they said.

NDTV later posted the ministry’s order on its website.

“The channel has made a representation in this regard, which is under examination. Pending such examination, it is hereby ordered that the operation of such an order be held in abeyance till further orders,” read the ministry’s order.

Journalists belonging to various media organisations and associations, including the Editors Guild of India, held a protest meeting against the government’s order banning NDTV.

They criticised the ministry’s action and demanded the immediate withdrawal of its order “in the interest of Indian democracy”. Many senior journalists, including Rajdeep Sardesai, attended the protest meet.

The ministry last week ordered the blackout of NDTV on “all platforms” for 24 hours from November 9 midnight after an inter-ministerial committee concluded that the news channel revealed “strategically sensitive” details while reporting on the terror attack at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot in Punjab on January 4.

Challenging the ministry’s order before the Supreme Court, the news channel in its petition maintained that ‘content control’ by the executive was a complete anathema to the right of free speech.

“The action of the government in attempting to adjudicate on the content of the telecast is a direct assault on the freedom of speech and expression of the petitioners and violative of the right of the petitioners under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution... the attempt by the government to adjudicate on the contents of a programme is also inherently unfair, arbitrary and unreasonable and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution...the provisions impugned in the instant petition confer uncanalised and unguided powers on the executive itself to adjudicate upon a violation,” the petitioner stated.

Gagging the media
The channel’s petition, settled by senior advocate Harish Salve, stated that the government’s decision would have the effect of gagging the media, which would be the death knell for democracy.

It also sought that the provisions of the Policy Guidelines for Uplinking of Television Channels and of the Cable TV Network Regulation Act be declared unconstitutional.