Sudarshan TV: Supreme Court defers hearing by two weeks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday took note of Centre's affidavit in which it has found that Sudarshan TV, through four episodes of its "Bindas Bol" programme on alleged infiltration of Muslims in the bureaucracy, has breached the programme code.

In the affidavit which was filed Wednesday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has annexed its November 4 order by which it has cautioned the channel of "stricter penal action" in case of future violations.

When the matter came up for ring today, the top court deferred the hearing by two weeks while asking the contesting parties to go through the Centre's reply for filing the rejoinder.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra noted that Centre's affidavit has been filed indicating the steps which have been taken in terms of earlier order of the top court.

It said that the batch of petitions will be taken up for hearing after two weeks.

At the outset, advocate Rajat Nair, appearing for Centre, informed the bench that Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has filed the affidavit in which it has placed on record the November 4 order passed by it in the proceedings pertaining to the show-cause notice issued to the channel over the controversial programme.