SC seeks Centre's reply on plea against blocking of YouTube channel '4 PM'
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre and others on a petition seeking quashing of the order blocking YouTube channel '4 PM'.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan agreed to hear the plea and issued notices to the Centre and others seeking their responses on the petition.
The plea, filed by Sanjay Sharma who runs the YouTube channel, has sought a direction to the Centre to produce the blocking order with reasons and records, if any, for blocking the channel.
It has also sought a direction to quash the blocking order after calling upon the Centre to produce the blocking order with reasons and records.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, said no notice was issued to the petitioner before the blocking order was passed.
"The whole channel is blocked and no reason," Sibal said, adding "the only information I have is from the intermediary".
"Ex-facie it is unconstitutional," he said.
The bench, while issuing notice on the plea, said the matter would be heard next week.
The plea has sought quashing of Rule 16 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.
Rule 16 says strict confidentiality shall be maintained regarding all the requests and complaints received and actions taken thereof.
The plea has claimed that the order blocking the channel was arbitrary and unconstitutional.
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Deputy CM DK Shivakumar rejects allegations of Surjewala meeting Karnataka officials
Hassan (Karnataka), Jul 26 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Saturday refuted allegations that Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala had met with state government officials, terming it "completely false".Speaking to reporters at Arsikere, Shivakumar clarified that Randeep Surjewala has neither met nor spoken to any officials.
“This is our government. If there is anything to be conveyed, he (Surjewala) will tell us directly. If there are any mistakes, he will inform us, and we will correct them. Apart from that, saying he met officials is false,” Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president said.
Asked about Karnataka Minister K N Rajanna’s statement that such meetings with officials are "illegal", Shivakumar declined to comment.
“I don’t want to speak about senior leaders. The Chief Minister has already responded to this. After his clarification, I have nothing further to say. The Chief Minister has more information than I do,” he said.
