Modify, Centre tells Sudarshan TV

The Centre on Thursday informed the Supreme Court that it had “cautioned” Sudarshan TV against airing attacks on “religion” and “communities” and had asked the channel to suitably “moderate” and “modify” its series on the alleged infiltration of the civil services by jihadi elements.

The Centre’s affidavit, placed in the court by solicitor-general Tushar Mehta, also stated that the government was empowered to withdraw licence under Rule 6 of the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, framed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, if its directive was violated by the channel.

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra adjourned the matter to December 9 to enable the petitioners, Firoz Iqbal Khan and others, besides Sudarshan TV to respond to the Centre’s affidavit.