The Allahabad High Court today directed Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary to probe within three weeks the allegation that two TV news channels were blocked at the behest of the state government for "negative" coverage of Saifai Mahotsav.
The Lucknow bench, comprising Justices Imtiyaz Murtaza and D K Upadhyay, said that "as a friend" of the court the Chief Secretary should conduct an inquiry within three weeks that under what circumstances the news channels went off air in some districts.
The order was passed on a petition filed by an NGO 'We the People'. The petitioner alleged that due to negative coverage of 'Saifai Mahotsava' two news channels were blocked by the cable operators on orders of SP government.
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During the hearing today on the basis of instructions received from the Chief Secretary, Additional Advocate General Bulbul Godiyal submitted that "neither there was any ban on broadcasting of the two channels nor the administration stopped airing of the channels through cable in Lucknow or any other district."
The court fixed next date of hearing after three weeks.
