Cannot share reasons for ban with Media One: Centre reiterates in SC
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New Delhi: The Union government once again cited the national security for its insistency not to disclose the reasons on which the broadcasting clearance of Malayalam news channel, Media One, withheld to its holding company in the Supreme Court.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in an affidavit, stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs could not disclose the reasons for the denial of the renewal clearance in the interest of the security of the state and its establishments.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, under section 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, disagrees to disclose the contents of the files to the petitioners, the Centre told in the Court.
"It is submitted that MHA has informed that the denial of security clearance is based on intelligence inputs, which are sensitive and secret. Therefore, as a matter of policy and in the interest of the security of the state and its establishments, the MHA does not disclose the reasons for denial," said the affidavit which was filed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in response to the appeal of news channel challenging the decision of the Kerala High court in denying their plea that questioned the reasons for the Union government ban of the news channel.
The Union government's decision to bar the telecasting rights of Media One Channel was upheld by the Kerala High Court on March 2. The High also denied the plea of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd which runs the challenge stating security reasons.
The submission of Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd said that there is no requirement for security clearance during renewal if permission to run the organization was granted beforehand. But the MHA counters the argument by saying that permissions and scrutiny are required during the renewal period too.
"Further, if the interpretation as is sought to be given by the petitioner to the uplinking and downlinking guidelines, is accepted, it would lead to a situation wherein the clearance granted by the MHA for once would operate perpetually, which would defeat the very purpose and object of the grant of such security clearances," said the affidavit in response to the arguments.