Center in Supreme Court, reason for non-clearance of channel cannot be explained due to national security

New Delhi: The central government has said that the reason for denying security clearance to the news channel could not be explained as the matter is related to national security. The Home Ministry official has filed an affidavit on behalf of the Central Government in the Supreme Court saying that the reason for denial of security clearance of a regional language news channel cannot be given.

In the Supreme Court, the Center said that the principle of natural justice does not apply here as this matter is related to national security and interest. In the Supreme Court, the Center said that the reason for refusing to give security clearance to the news channel cannot be attributed to the channel as it is a matter of national security and whatever intelligence inputs in this matter are in the matter of not giving security clearance. That cannot be shared with the channel. In the affidavit filed by the Home Ministry in the court, it has been said that whatever the reason for not getting the security clearance, it is not necessary to tell the channel. The reason why the security clearance was not received could not be given. The Center said that if the reason for not getting the security clearance is given, then there will be unimaginable consequences as the matter is related to national security.

In fact, the Kerala High Court had refused to interfere with the decision of the Central Government in which the Center did not renew the channel. Then the channel approached the Supreme Court against the decision of the Kerala High Court. On March 15, the Supreme Court had stayed the ban imposed by the central government on Malayalam news channels. The Supreme Court in its interim order had stayed the ban imposed on the channel by the central government. The news channel had earlier filed an appeal in the Kerala High Court against the ban imposed on the channel. The Kerala High Court had upheld the government’s decision. After which an appeal has been filed on behalf of the news channel in the Supreme Court.

The documents were presented on behalf of the Home Ministry before a bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud of the Supreme Court. After going through the documents, the court passed the said order. The Home Ministry had banned the channel by not renewing it due to security reasons. The Supreme Court, after seeing the document, said that prima facie a case of relief is made to the channel and said that it will continue to operate the way the channel used to run before the decision of the Central Government. The Supreme Court had asked the central government to submit a counter affidavit. The Supreme Court had asked the central government to file a reply on March 10 on the petition in which Malayalam news channel has challenged the order of the Kerala High Court. The Center has filed an affidavit in this matter.