‘Centre to decide on broadcast by Power TV within six weeks’: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court said it is up to the Centre to decide on the broadcast by Kannada television channel Power TV, while an interim order of the High Court restricting such broadcasts will remain in place.

These directions were made by a division bench of the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday consisting of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind on Wednesday.

Earlier, a single judge bench consisting of Justice S R Krishna Kumar had held that Power TV does not have the requisite licence from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for news transmission. This was in response to two petitions filed by JDS MLC Ramesh Gowda and IPS officer B R Ravikanthe Gowda.

Chief Justice Anjaria said, “There is no gainsaying that the permission to uplink and downlink news accorded to the TV channel was valid until 12/10/21 only…although the company has applied for renewal which is to be considered in accordance with law. It is in this light that the single judge passed the interim order to stop the broadcast pending the testing of allegations.”

The bench added, “The (TV channel) shall have the right to reply to show-cause notice dated 9/2/24. If the reply is already filed, it will be open to the respondents to file a further reply if they so choose within one week.”

The said show-cause notice had been issued by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on account of alleged violations of broadcasting regulations.

The bench further stated, “The (Union) should hear the (TV Channel) if they so choose. Upon such application to be made by the appellants, personal hearing shall be given…the competent authority shall decide the show cause notice after the reply given.”

The bench concluded by noting that the entire exercise of deciding the show-cause notice as well as the possible license renewal will have to be completed within six weeks. Indian Express