On 28th August, 2020, Ministry of I&B had given a notice to SUDARSHAN NEWS on receiving several complaints regarding a programme which was to be telecast on the said News TV. In the promo of the said programme which was to be telecasted, Shri Chavhanke for Sudarshan TV News Channel raised concerns how people of a particular community have suddenly increased in IAS & IPS Cadre, etc.
Delhi High Court vide its Order on 29-08-2020 restrained from broadcasting a show titled ‘Bindas Bol’ on Sudarshan TV News channel.
Sudarshan News had raised that the Ministry’s notice was based on content in Social Media platforms (which is not a subject matter of the Ministry), does not hold ground as the promo was telecast on the Sudarshan TV censorship of a programme, and a programme is that the ministry can’t do pre-censorship of a programme and a programme cannot be stopped or prohibited from being telecast. Only on finding any violation, action can be taken.
Further, it was stated that there is no pre-censorship of a programme telecast on TV channels. It is the responsibility of the channel owner to ensure that a programme telecast on TV does not violate the programme code. The programme codes have been prescribed under Rule 6 of the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994.
The present situation is a peculiar situation where while the programme has not yet been telecast, the promo of the programme has been telecast on the channel, which formed the basis of the complaints received in the Ministry, accordingly the Ministry issued the notice to the channel to give its say regarding adherence by the channel to the Programme Code in respect of the proposed programme.
What is mentioned in the written submission of the channel?
The proposed programme “BINDAAS BOL” is not violative of the law and further that is at all the programme is found to be violative, action as per law may be taken.
In view of the above circumstances of the case, Sudarshan TV channel is directed to ensure that the programme proposed to be telecast does not violate any of the programme codes. If any violation of the programme code is found, action as per law will be taken.
