Supreme Court stays Karnataka High Court order banning broadcast of Kannada news channel

The bench observed that the case against the news channel prima facie aimed to stop the channel from airing allegations of sex scandals involving political figures in the state.

New Delhi: Observing that the case seemed to be driven by "sheer political vendetta", the Supreme Court on Friday stayed a Karnataka High Court order that restricted the broadcast of Kannada news channel Power TV.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra observed that the case against the news channel prima facie aimed to stop the channel from airing allegations of sex scandals involving political figures in the state.

While issuing notice to the Centre and others on the plea filed by M/s Power Smart Media Pvt Ltd, the bench also stayed the order of the high court till Monday and put it for hearing next day.

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

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said that the case pertained to unauthorisedly giving licence by the original licensee to other 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 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 recent sex scandal allegations 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.