Tag: Fali Nariman

  • NDTV India ban: SC to hear appeal on 5 Dec; govt may restructure review panel

    NDTV India ban: SC to hear appeal on 5 Dec; govt may restructure review panel

    MUMBAI: It is not going to be easy to gag the freedom of press. NDTV India’s appeal against the one-day ban on its Hindi channel will be heard next month by the Supreme Court.

    NDTV has challenged the ban for violating the constitutional right to free speech and expression.

    Appearing for NDTV, Fali Nariman, one of India’s most reputed lawyers, said that, because the government has suspended the ban, there was no urgent need for the court to stay the government’s order that called for a 24-hour ban and that the case could be heard a month later, during which NDTV expects the government to take a final decision.

    The government on November 7 put on hold its order asking NDTV India not to telecast for 24 hours starting 9 November for allegedly flouting norms.

    The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing to December 5 as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told Justice A.K. Sikri that there was no real urgency as their plea (by NDTV) for review of the decision was being considered by the government.

    The ban was put on hold by the government after representatives of NDTV met with Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu. NDTV reiterated that its Hindi channel did not broadcast sensitive details of the terror attack on the Pathankot air base.

    The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry said it was weighing restructuring the inter-ministerial committee (IMC) which reviews cases of violations in the broadcast media. The ministry was facing criticism for directing NDTV India to go off air for a day.

  • NDTV India ban: SC to hear appeal on 5 Dec; govt may restructure review panel

    NDTV India ban: SC to hear appeal on 5 Dec; govt may restructure review panel

    MUMBAI: It is not going to be easy to gag the freedom of press. NDTV India’s appeal against the one-day ban on its Hindi channel will be heard next month by the Supreme Court.

    NDTV has challenged the ban for violating the constitutional right to free speech and expression.

    Appearing for NDTV, Fali Nariman, one of India’s most reputed lawyers, said that, because the government has suspended the ban, there was no urgent need for the court to stay the government’s order that called for a 24-hour ban and that the case could be heard a month later, during which NDTV expects the government to take a final decision.

    The government on November 7 put on hold its order asking NDTV India not to telecast for 24 hours starting 9 November for allegedly flouting norms.

    The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing to December 5 as Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi told Justice A.K. Sikri that there was no real urgency as their plea (by NDTV) for review of the decision was being considered by the government.

    The ban was put on hold by the government after representatives of NDTV met with Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu. NDTV reiterated that its Hindi channel did not broadcast sensitive details of the terror attack on the Pathankot air base.

    The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry said it was weighing restructuring the inter-ministerial committee (IMC) which reviews cases of violations in the broadcast media. The ministry was facing criticism for directing NDTV India to go off air for a day.

  • Convergence Committee says content should be brought under Broadcasting Bill

    Convergence Committee says content should be brought under Broadcasting Bill

    The Sub-Group on Convergence headed by senior legal professional Fali Nariman, in its interim report, has recommended that so far as content of information is concerned, it is to be dealt with in the new Broadcasting Bill. Since Webcasting was not covered in the existing IT Bill of 1999, it suggests that the proposed Broadcasting Bill willl have to be revised to reflect advances and developnment of technology and internet which has made Webcasting possible.

    It has recommended that the structural framework of the 1885 Indian Telegraph Act be retained as the New Telecom Policy has said that carriage of information should be left as open as possible. Any act should be enabling and it has suggested that a new Telecommunications Act be drawn up for the convergence era while the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 be repealed.

    The sub-group has obtained views from consumers, industry, bulk users, security agencies and private telecom players during discussions with Department of Telecommunications. At the end of it all, the subgroup has defined who has the power to establish and maintain telecom, the obligations of service providers, the right of way, message interception, and dispute settlements.

    The report claims to have been influenced by the major events taken place following the announcement of New Telecom Policy NTP, 1999 which includes the firm resolve of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry to introduce a Broadcasting Bill in the next session of Parliament. The Bill will be on the lines of the Broadcasting Bill of 1997 which had lapsed on account of dissolution of Lok Sabha. Substantial ammendments will be made in the new bill to cover the entire content aspect of broadcasting including provisions for setting up of a seperate regulatory Authority.