NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court tody, February 3, issued notice on pleas challenging the Centrral government's decision to ban BBC documentary on 2002 Gujarat riots. The Top court declined to pass an interim order, but directed the government to place before it the original record of decision taken and scheduled the next hearing in April.

A bench consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and M.M. Sundresh directed that the government should produce the original records in connection with its order on the documentary on the next date of hearing in April.

Supreme court was hearing a petition filed by journalist N. Ram, advocate Prashant Bhushan and NTC MP Mahua Moitra, and another petition filed by advocate M.L. Sharma.

Senior advocate C U Singh, representing N Ram and others, submitted that it was a case where the Central government invoked the emergency powers under the IT Rules to block the documentary. The bench asked counsel, "Why should you not go to the high court first?" 

The Suprme court said it can't pass interim directions without hearing what the government has to say. After hearing submissions, the bench issued notice in the matter.

The petition filed by Sharma contended that the BBC documentary on Gujarat riots recorded and was released for public view, however, due to fear of truth the documentary has been banned from viewership in India by any means under rule 16 of IT Act 2021.

Sharma requested that the January 21 IT Act decision be quashed because it was extra vires the Indian Constitution, illegal, mala fide, and arbitrary, as well as unconstitutional and void from the start.

While some students have shown the documentary "India: The Modi Question" on campuses of different institutions around the nation, it has been prohibited from social media and online networks.

With original recordings of the riot victims from 2002 and other interested parties who were involved in the scenario of the riot, Sharma argued that the BBC programme accurately depicted the facts and might be used for judicial justice.

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