Delhi HC rejects plea of Channel V facing action for obscene video

New Delhi, June 15 (UNI) TV Channel V, which is among those asked to apologise for showing obscene music video by running a scroll for three days from tomorrow, challenged the Information and Broadcasting(I&B) Ministry directive in the Delhi High Court but the court refused to set aside the government order.

According to a Ministry official, the Channel filed a writ petition in the court yesterday, arguing that the 'Charhti Jawani' video for which it was asked by the I&B Ministry to apologise was not rated 'A'.

Moreover, it questioned the legality of the Ministry passing this order, he said.

The Court, however, asked the Channel to go back to the Ministry within two weeks to hand over the video-telecast of that particular day to prove that it was not 'A'rated.

The I&B Counsel told the court that all other TV cahnnels which had been issued similar directives had agreed to comply with it, the official said.

The directive, which also warned that the channels would be taken off air in case of non-compliance, had been issued under the Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995 . Under the Act, there is programme code, according to which, indecent scenes must not be telecast on prime time nor should shots of smoking/ drinking that can have an adverse effect on young people.

Besides Channel V, others who have been issued similar directives include MTV, ITV, B4U, MH1 and ETC.

The scroll would say "The Information and Broadcasting Ministry issues a warning to the music channel for violating programme code.

This TV channel assures to be more careful in future." The official said the directive was issued only after the TV channels had been given a personal hearing.

UNI NAZ PA PM1907