Sakshi TV Ban: Supreme Court Sends Notice to TDP Govt, AP FiberNet

In a major setback to the ruling TDP, the Supreme Court has issued notices to the Andhra Pradesh government over the suspension of Sakshi TV.

The apex court also sent notices to several Multi-System Operators (MSOs), including AP FiberNet, directing them to respond to the allegations within three weeks.

Sakshi TV’s management filed a petition before the Supreme Court, accusing the TDP government, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, of violating Cable TV rules and pressuring AP FiberNet and MSOs to illegally block its broadcast.

Justices PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar admitted the petition and issued notices to the State government as well as multiple MSOs.

The TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh allegedly blocked Sakshi TV’s telecast soon after coming to power, removing it from AP FiberNet’s channel package. Sakshi TV has accused the Chandrababu government of stifling press freedom and independent journalism.

The government faces charges of violating Articles 14 and 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. The management told the Supreme Court that a 21-day notice is mandatory before removing a channel, which was ignored.

Sakshi TV also alleged violations of Clause 17 of the Telecommunications Regulation Act 2017 and claimed the government threatened MSOs to drop the channel or face punitive action, including electricity cuts.

Despite orders from the Delhi High Court and the Telecommunications Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), AP FiberNet has not reinstated Sakshi TV in its package.

The management has sought the immediate restoration of Sakshi TV’s broadcast across all platforms.