Guwahati: The Supreme Court of India has lifted the broadcast ban on the Malayalam news channel MediaOne, stating that an independent press is crucial for a vibrant democracy.
The apex court stated that criticism of the government cannot be a reason to revoke a TV channel’s licence.
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The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had refused to renew the channel’s licence for “national security” reasons, but the court criticised the ministry for raising those claims out of “thin air” and failing to provide any evidence to justify the ban.
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MediaOne had reported extensively on the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in 2020 and the subsequent riots in Delhi.
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The Supreme Court also condemned the government’s attempt to keep its rationale for the ban under wraps and filed them under “sealed cover.”
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MediaOne had gone off the air last year on January 31 after its name was removed from the list of permitted channels by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.