'To preserve the language...,' SC dismisses plea seeking Doordarshan channel in Sindhi; what did it say?:

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday heard a petition seeking to start a 24-hour Sindhi language channel on Doordarshan. In its decision, the court refused to give any such direction to the central government.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra dismissed the petition challenging the order of the Delhi High Court. Let us tell you that this petition was filed by the NGO Sindhi Sangat.

There can be other ways to preserve the language- SC

The Supreme Court said that there could be other ways to preserve the language. Senior advocate Indira Jai Singh, appearing for the NGO, said that one way to preserve the language is public broadcasting.

The High Court had rejected the NGO's petition on May 27, which it challenged in the Supreme Court. The petition said that Prasar Bharati's decision not to start a 24-hour Sindhi language channel is based on discrimination. Therefore, the High Court's decision should be canceled.

The court dismissed the petition filed by Sindhi Sangat, saying that no citizen can claim on the basis of fundamental right granted under Article 29 of the Constitution that the government should start a separate channel in their language.

The petitioner had knocked the door of SC

Dismissing the petition, a bench comprising Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra in its order said, the right claimed under Article 29 to protect the language of the Sindhi population cannot result in an absolute or irrevocable right to start a separate language channel for a particular language.

The petition was dismissed by both the Single Bench and Division Bench of the Delhi High Court, following which the petitioner approached the Supreme Court.

The bench had said that an order cannot be issued to start a separate language channel. The Supreme Court too refused to intervene in the matter, saying that the reasons given by the High Court were "without exception".

As the matter came up for hearing, CJI Chandrachud expressed reluctance to consider the plea, saying it was a policy matter.

The CJI also highlighted the statement made by Doordarshan before the High Court that it was running Sindhi programmes on three DD channels — DD Girnar, DD Sahyadri and DD Rajasthan, which are broadcast in areas where the Sindhi population predominantly resides.

The CJI also noted the respondents' stand that running a separate channel for a small population of about 26 lakh is not sustainable as its annual operating cost is around Rs 20 crore.