The Supreme Court said the Sudarshan News TV programme was vilifying the Muslim community.
The Supreme Court's virtual hearing in a case involving a private television company that aired episodes on "Muslims infiltrating" government services, had some lighter moments as senior advocates joked about "mute button". In an earlier hearing, the furious court had ordered that show be pulled off for now, calling the show "an attempt to vilify Muslims".
"Justices should have a remote to mute someone," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said today as a lawyer inadvertently disrupted the hearing while addressing his client.
Later, when senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani -- who was representing one of the intervenors -- said the matter might not be completed today, the Solicitor General suggested that he needs to "mute". "Communication with your client is privileged!" he pointed out.
After Mr Jethmalani said the conversation was "nothing substantial", Mr Mehta jokingly retorted, "With your surname, we don't know whom you are speaking to".
Mahesh Jethmalani is the son of Ram Jethmalani, one of the most reputed lawyers in the country who died in September last year.
The Centre told the court today that the Sudarshan TV programme prima facie violates programme code and a notice has been issued to them. The channel has to respond on the issue by September 28 on why action should not be taken against it. The Centre asked that the hearing be deferred till then.
Ordering the Centre to deal with the case as per law, the court said it would hear the matter again on October 5. The freeze on the programme will continue meanwhile.
At a hearing last week, the court had imposed the freeze, saying, "It appears that the object of the programme is to vilify the Muslim community and make it responsible for an insidious attempt to infiltrate the civil services".
The power of the electronic media to target a community, damage reputations or tarnish someone's image is "huge", the court said. One of the judges commented that the "problem with the electronic media is all about TRPs", leading to more and more sensationalism that damages the reputation of people and "masquerades as a form of right".