NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 5,  cancelled the Central government's denial of security clearance to leading Malayalam news channel MediaOne, and pulled up the Ministry of Home Affairs for raising national security claims in "thin air" sans facts.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y Chandrachud put aside the Kerala High Court order which had upheld the Central government's decision to ban the channel's telecast on security grounds.

The Apex court said critical views of the channel against government policies cannot be termed as anti-establishment as an independent press is necessary for strong democracy.

The bench ruled that "national security allegations cannot be made in a vacuum; they must be supported by substantial evidence."

The Kerala High Court's ruling upholding the Center's decision to forbid its telecast on security grounds was being challenged by the news channel in a case before the Supreme Court.

MediaOne TV is an Indian Malayalam-language television channel operated by Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited. The channel was licensed in September 2011 and was officially launched on 10 February 2013. The main studio is located at Velliparamba, Kozhikode, Kerala.

The Supreme court also criticized the sealed cover procedure and said the government has to first convince the court of national security and then justify how such concern overrides the principle of natural justice

On March 15, 2022, the Supreme Court stayed the Centre's ban on the Malayalam TV news channel. The central government had cited national security grounds to justify the ban. MediaOne had moved the Apex court after the Kerala High Court upheld the ban imposed on it by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

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