Censorship
The proprietors of Marathi news channel ‘Lokshahi Marathi’ have moved the Delhi High Court against its one month suspension by the Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry.
The petitioners — Zora Traders Ltd, Swaraj Marathi Broadcasting LLP and Bahubali Shantilal Shah — have challenged the January 9 order of the I&B Ministry whereby “up-linking and down-linking permission” for the channel has been suspended for a period of 30 days (with effect from 6 pm on January 9). Seeking quashing of the order, the plea claimed due to this order the channel was prohibited to be distributed on all platforms throughout India for a period of 30 days.
This the second time the channel has been taken off air. In July 2023, Lokshahi Marathi was taken off air soon after it broke a story on an alleged “sex video” of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya.
