Madras High Court ordered notice to Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Prasar Bharati and the Central Board of Film Certification on a Public Interest Litigation Petition(PIL) seeking a direction to the Centre to regulate and prohibit transmission obscenity, violent, vulgar telecasts and exhibition of indecent dramas, serials, dances and advertisements by private channels.
Stating that TV was an indispensable feature for everyone, irrespective of age, the petitioners Rev Father Pancras M Raja and three others contended that youth and children were being exposed to mind pollution by the TV programmes and advertisements telecast by the Satellite Cable TV Networks.
Contending that mind pollution was worse than all other types of pollution, the petitioners claimed that psychologists all over the world have been cautioning that exposure to media violence and s*x had a damaging impact on children, minors and youth.
The petitioners claimed that parents were worried and felt helpless and frustrated that their right to bring up their children in a mind pollution free atmosphere was being snatched away.
The right to freedom of TV is a valuable right but the right carries with it the responsibility and duty to be truthful and to protect right of others, the petitioner said adding that there were over 290 private TV channels in the country.
Under Sec 292 IPC, any obscene or vulgar Act displayed in public was punishable under the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, the petitioners submitted and sought to pass a restraint order on repeated telecast of events which terrified viewers like the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai and the February 19, 2009 police-advocates clash in the Madras High Court premises.
When the matter came up for hearing before the first bench comprising Chief Justice H L Gokhale and Mr Justice D Murugesan, they directed the respondents to file their counter on or before October 5.
The bench posted the case to October 5 for further hearing.
