The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed strong displeasure on Centre's affidavit in a case concerning media reporting on a Tablighi Jamaat congregation during the onset of Covid-19 pandemic. The court asked the Centre "to consider evolving a mechanism to address issues with content on TV, or else, the court may entrust it to an outside agency".
A bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the court is not happy with Centre's affidavit in the matter, as it skirts what powers government has under the Cable TV Network Act to hear such complaints. The bench asked the Centre to specify how Cable TV Network Act can be used to control the content of Cable TV network.
“Your affidavit is silent on it. The other issue, what steps you can take to deal with such complaints “The mechanism - your affidavit is silent on it. Please put all these in your amended affidavit. You (the Centre) have the power under the Act,” added the bench.
“If it does not exist, then you create an authority, or else we will hand it over to an outside agency,” added the Chief Justice.
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