TV channel approaches HC to lift ban on carrying reports against PMK

Judge to take a call today on its application

The Madras High Court has decided to take a call on Wednesday on a plea by New Generation Media Corporation Private Limited to vacate an ex-parte interim injunction granted by the court on Friday, restraining new television channel Puthiya Thalaimurai from telecasting news items or debate shows containing false or defamatory allegations against Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK).

Justice R. Subramanian heard arguments advanced on behalf of the plaintiff as well as the defendants on Tuesday. He directed the counsel for the television channel to obtain instructions if it would be possible to carry PMK’s rebuttal whenever any of the panellists called for live debate shows end up making false or derogatory remarks against the political party.

The ex-parte interim injunction had been granted following a civil suit filed by G.K. Mani, president of PMK, accusing the channel of harbouring personal vengeance against it because his party leader S. Ramadoss had sought action against a group of educational institutions run by a trust headed by T.R. Pachamuthu who was the father of the channel’s managing director P. Sathyanarayanan.

However, denying the allegations, the television channel and its MD told the court on Tuesday that Mr. Pachamuthu had nothing do with the management or the editorial policy of the channel. They claimed that PMK had filed a “vexatious” suit only to prevent the media house from carrying any kind of news against it during the ensuing elections to the Lok Sabha.

“If these types of suits are encouraged, it will pave way for political parties to take shelter under the guise of defamation to injunct media and press and this would strangulate their voice… The continuation of the injunction or any such order will… also deprive general public of quality, fair and neutral news about elections,” the counter affidavit filed by Mr. Sathyanarayanan read.

In a separate counter affidavit, Mr. Pachamuthu too asserted that he was not the founder of the television channel. He contended that Mr. Mani cannot file a suit in his name and seek relief for PMK, its president Mr. Ramadoss and youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss. “Dr. Ramadoss is not a plaintiff and there cannot be shadow fight in the name of the applicant,” his counter stated.