The petitioner, 4PM News, has urged the Supreme Court to direct the government to produce the blocking order with reasons and records.
The Supreme Court Monday sought the Centre’s response to a plea challenging the blocking of 4PM News YouTube channel on the grounds of “national security.” A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan also issued notice on the plea by Sanjay Sharma, who runs the channel.
Appearing for Sharma, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal said he was not issued any notice before the blocking, and he came to know about it from an intermediary. Sibal said the action is “ex facie unconstitutional”. “I want the blocking order to be removed. The whole channel is blocked, and for no reason,” he said.
Though the court initially indicated that it may tag it with another plea challenging the blocking rules, Sibal urged that an interim order would be necessary. “I don’t even have the blocking order. I don’t know what is against me,” he said.
Justice Gavai, however, said, “We will have to hear the other side.”
