SC ask for regulatory mechanism for TV
The Supreme Court asked for a “regulatory mechanism” for tv channels and said government is silent on the action taken against TV channels in a case linked to media reporting on the Tablighi Jamaat .
“The government is silent on the action that has been taken and the power it has to regulate the TV channels. If there is no regulatory mechanism, create one or else we will hand it over to outside agency. Regulation cannot be left to the NBSA (News Broadcasters Standards Authority)” Chief Justice SA Bobde said . He pointed that the top court is not satisfied with the centre’s affidavit which was shared in the top court . the top court berated the government for having a junior officer file what it called an “extremely offensive and brazen” response.
“First, you did not file a proper affidavit and then you filed an affidavit which did not deal with the two important questions. This way it cannot be done Mr Mehta… we are not satisfied with your reply. We asked you to tell about what action taken has been taken. But not a whisper in your affidavit,” the bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, underlining that the government did not deal with the Cable TV Network Act in its response as it highlighted that “applicability of the Act in controlling media has a great consequence in this country”.
“Tell us what’s the present legal regime you have… you haven’t told anything,” the top court said. The Solicitor General told the court that a fresh affidavit will be filed.
The centre has defended the media in this case and said in its response to the Supreme Court that there was “no instance of bad reporting”.
The Supreme Court last month pulled up the centre on its affidavit and said it “must tell us instances of bad reporting” and what action had been taken. “Freedom of speech is one of the most abused freedoms in recent times,” Chief Justice SA Bobde had said during the hearing last month
