Supreme Court lifts ban on MediaOne, directs I&B Ministry to issue renewal license to channel within four weeks

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has lifted the ban imposed by the Centre on the Malayalam news channel MediaOne. The court observed that the act of channels criticizing the policies and the actions of the government cannot be portrayed as anti-national. It also stated that an independent press is necessary for a robust democracy. The verdict was pronounced by the two-member bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. The apex court also directed the Ministry of Information Broadcasting to issue a renewal license to MediaOne within 4 weeks.

The court said that it is illegal to violate civil rights in the name of national security. It also said that the Centre was not able to produce the necessary facts to deny security clearance to MediaOne.

The Centre had imposed a ban on MediaOne channel's telecast on January 31, 2022. The Ministry of Information Broadcasting imposed the ban stating that the channel did not have a security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). MediaOne approached the Supreme Court after the Kerala High Court upheld the decision of the Centre.