Supreme Court extends stay on Karnataka HC order banning broadcast of Kannada news channel

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday extended the stay till July 22 on the Karnataka High Court order that stopped the broadcast of Kannada news channel ‘Power TV’ over televising alleged sexual scandals involving some senior JD(S) politicians.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions of Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, appearing for the Centre, that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was abroad and adjourned the hearing until July 22.

The bench said, meanwhile, its earlier order of July 12 granting stay on the Karnataka High Court’s decision will remain in force.

Earlier, the bench observed that the case against the channel seemed to be driven by "sheer political vendetta". While staying the high court order, the bench said the case against the news channel was prima facie aimed at stopping it from airing allegations of sex scandals involving political figures.

During the hearing on Monday, the bench asked the Centre whether the authorities ask the channels to shut down for the period when their pleas seeking renewal of licenses are pending.

"Tell us in the last 3 years which were such channels who had applied for renewal but were not allowed to continue pending the decision of renewal," the bench asked.

On July 12, the bench had noted that the court will protect the freedom of speech and expression. It had said the channel was entitled to continue with its broadcast which should not have been stopped.

The Centre had said the case pertained to unauthorisedly giving licence by the original licensee to another person.

The Centre can certainly proceed with the consequential process after the issuance of show cause notice, the bench said.

"The more we hear you, the more we are convinced that it is political vendetta, let me be very honest. That is why we are inclined to protect the freedom of speech and expression," it had said.

The bench said the channel wanted to broadcast some allegations regarding the sex scandal in the state.

"The idea was to completely blank out his voice, this court is duty-bound to allow him. This is sheer political vendetta and nothing else. Therefore this court will be failing in its duty if we do not protect (the channel)," it said.

The channel allegedly broadcast news related to the recent sex scandal involving JD(S) leaders Prajwal Revanna and others.

The channel assailed a division bench order of the Karnataka High Court. The division bench had refused to interfere with the stay order passed by the single bench against the broadcast of the channel.

The high court had passed the order on petitions filed by JD(S) MLC H M Ramesh Gowda and others.

On June 26, the single judge bench of the high court stayed the operation of the channel. The Centre issued a show-cause notice to the channel pertaining to certain allegations related to its licence.