MHA inspecting Media One license challenge, Shah responds to MPs

As soon as Lok Sabha adjourned, Amit Shah said the issue of banning Media One's licence had been forwarded to officials at the MHA, who are examining it.

This comes a week after Kerala MPs raised the issue with I&B Minister Anurag Thakur, who recommended they talk to Shah.

"Media One, a very popular channel, is reported to have been revoked by the I&B Ministry," Congress legislator Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said in Parliament recently.

"It is a matter of serious concern that the licence has been revoked without citing any valid reason," he added.

As the HM was present in the House when Chowdhury spoke, Congress members sought his response. Chowdhury and Congress MPs, including Kodikunnil Suresh, approached Shah shortly after the House adjourned to discuss the issue.

According to Suresh "After the House was adjourned, I went to Shah along with Chowdhury and some other MPs from Kerala. Chowdhury told him about the issue. The Home Minister told us that he has received a letter from the MPs. He said he has forwarded it to the ministry and they are examining it."

Suresh reported that Shah said the MHA will notify him and that he will then get to the MPs for the follow up.

As of Monday, Kerala High Court High extended for one more day its interim order putting on hold the interdiction on Malayalam news channel MediaOne's telecast by the Centre.

In addition, Justice N Nagaresh reserved judgment on motions filed by Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd, which operates MediaOne, its employees, and a journalists' union challenging the Centre's decision.

It is expected that the verdict will be delivered on Tuesday.