High Court Upholds Govt’s Ban On Media One TV Channel

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday upheld the Union government’s ban on Malayalam news channel Media One TV.

A division bench of the high court dismissed appeals lodged by the channel’s management and journalists challenging a February 9 single-bench order which had refused to lift it.

Media One TV said they will the Supreme Court.

In the opinion of two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chali, when it comes to security of the state, the government is at liberty to decline renewal permission without disclosing the entire reason.

The Union Information & Broadcasting (I&B) ministry banned Media One after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) refused to give clearance citing security reasons.

The channel, which went off air on January 31, 2022, had faced a 48-hour ban in 2020 in connection with its reporting of Delhi riots.