Supreme Court adjourns to May 4 hearing in Media One case

Case involves govt’s non-renewal of security clearance to Kerala-based news and current affairs channel

The Supreme Court on Thursday fixed on May 4 a hearing in a case involving the government’s non-renewal of security clearance to Kerala-based news and current affairs TV channel Media One “on the basis of intelligence inputs sensitive and secretive in nature”.

A Bench led by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud stayed the telecast ban on March 15 and asked the government to file its counter affidavit. The court had kept open the issue whether the internal government files, based on which the media company’s security clearance was not renewed in an order on January 31, 2022, ought to be shared with the media company.

The government circulated a letter on April 6, seeking a four-week adjournment on the ground that a decision on the contents of its counter affidavit would be taken at a “very senior level”, which would require some time.

The court had wanted the government to file its counter affidavit by March 26. On March 15, when it stayed the telecast ban, it indicated its intention to examine the larger aspect of the government banning media outlets without fully divulging reasons.

Justice Chandrachud, heading a three-judge Bench, had said the government’s decision effectively shut down the business of media house Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited, which ran Media One, in the name of “national security and public order” without fully disclosing the specific reasons for revoking their security clearance.

The Bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath, had said the company was “surely entitled” to know the “particulars” of the ban.