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''$$ publication of documents marked as secret or from plac- %R )) &$* ing such documents before a O P court of law which may have '( )(*+ petitions, the Bench said, “The been called upon to adjudicate '( )(*+ right of such publication would a legal issue concerning the he Rafale issue returned to seem to be in consonance with parties,” the CJI said. he Election Commission Ttorment the Modi the constitutional guarantee of Writing a separate but con- Ton Wednesday (EC) decid- Government on the eve of the freedom of speech.” curring judgment, Justice KM ed to defer the screening of the first phase of the Lok Sabha Asserting that the publica- Joseph backed the freedom of biopic on “PM Narendra polls on Wednesday when the tion of the said documents was press and said that the press in Modi” till further orders. The Supreme Court allowed a set of backed by several decision of India has greatly contributed to order will also apply to NaMo “leaked” documents to be relied the SC since 1950 upholding the strengthening of democra- TV, which can’t air the movie. upon by petitioners seeking freedom of the press, the court cy in the country. The movie was slated to release review of its Rafale judgment said there was no legal provi- “It will have a pivotal role !"# on the first phase of poll on and dismissed the sion to prevent publication of to play for the continued exis- April 11. Government’s objections claim- a document marked as “secret” tence of a vibrant democracy in political or financial consider- In its detailed directive, the ing “privilege” over them. or restrain such papers to be the country,” said Justice ations betrays true freedom. EC said, “Any poster or pub- The import and timing of submitted in the court. Joseph, adding a caveat that the “The ability of truth to be licity material concerning any the judgment have serious “There is no provision in stream of information that recognised by a discerning pub- such certified content which implication for the BJP and the the Official Secrets Act and no flows from it, “must remain lic in the supposedly free mar- ! either depicts a candidate Opposition. The admission of such provision in any other unpolluted by considerations ket place of ideas forms much (including prospective) for the the review petition means that statute has been brought to our other than truth”. of the basis for the grant of the #$ furtherance (or purported to there is no “clean chit to the notice by which Parliament He said the press must unquestionable freedom to the further) of electoral prospects, On the banning of biopic political entity or any individ- Government in the purchase of has vested any power in the remain fearless and free from Press, including the media hous- New Delhi: Finance Minister directly or indirectly, shall not on Modi, the EC said any ual entity connected to it, the fighter jets, while the tim- executive arm of the biases, for transmitting biased es,” said Justice Joseph. Arun Jaitley on Wednesday be put on display in electron- such material/ film disturbing which is intended to, or which ing offers a “talking point” to Government either to restrain information due to personal, Continued on Page 4 said the SC decision to allow ic media in the area where the level playing field in favour has the potential to disturb the the Opposition leaders to place leaked papers to be relied upon MCC is in force.” of any political party or indi- level playing field during the the Prime Minister in the dock. by petitioners in the Rafale case As far as the telecast of vidual should not be displayed elections, should not be dis- The judgment is also major is “at best procedural”. NaMo TV’s itself, the EC is in the electronic media. The played in electronic media victory for the journalist com- In a series of tweets, Jaitley expected to give detailed orders poll body has also received including cinematograph dur- munity. Mediapersons were up $ % said the CAG has already soon as the Information and complaints about biopic “PM ing the operation of MCC.” in arms over claims by the cleared the deal and a petition Broadcasting Ministry termed Narendra Modi”, “NTR Laxmi” The release of the film Centre that they could be pros- seeking review of the earlier it as advertorial platform, and and “Udyama Simham”. was deferred last week on ecuted for publishing classified judgment of the SC is pending. Tata Sky described it as “con- Opposition parties have been grounds of pending certifica- documents, which had bearing P %' “All that the court has tent TV” before the EC. calling for a ban on the movie tion clearance from the Central on the national security. today said is that even a wrong- The EC has received some in view of the Model Code of Board of Film Certification The Centre had invoked ly procured document can be clarification from the Delhi Conduct (MCC). (CBFC), which it secured on the Officials Secret Act and $ considered for review. The CEO regarding pre-certifica- In an order issued on Tuesday. submitted that the “classified” issue which delights the belea- tion of political advertisement Wednesday, the EC said, “Any Last week, biopic produc- documents were “stolen” by the guered Opposition is at best on NaMo TV by Media biopic material in the nature of er Omung Singh had tweeted petitioners and used to support ,$ ‘procedural’,”Jaitley said. Certification and Monitoring biography/hagiography sub- that movie will be release by their review petitions against Detailed report on P5 Committee. serving the purposes of any next week on April 11. the December 14, 2018 judg- '( )(*+ ment of the apex court dis- missing all pleas challenging ailing the Supreme Court procurement of 36 Rafale fight- Horder in the Rafale case, er jets from France. the Opposition parties accused “We dismiss the prelimi- Prime Minister Narendra Modi nary objection raised by Union of engaging in a “dubious” of India questioning the main- deal to favour industrialist Anil tainability of the review peti- Ambani and asked for open tion,” a Bench comprising Chief debate on the issue. three questions on the Rafale in Katihar. Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Congress president Rahul deal and industrialist Anil “You (Modi) will speak Justices SK Kaul and KM Gandhi on Wednesday Ambani and the Prime whatever you wish and I will Joseph said. launched a stinging attack on Minister will not be able to ask just three questions. After Dismissing Attorney the Prime Minister over alleged show his face to people. “The 15 minutes, Modi will not be General KK Venugopal’s argu- irregularities in the Rafale deal chowkidar has handed over able to show his face to any- ment that the illegally obtained and public sector banks, and keys of the banks to thieves. I body as it would be writ large documents and news reports challenged him to a debate on promise to return these keys to on his face that chowkidar filed on their basis cannot be the issue of corruption. the people of this country,” chor hai.” taken on record in the review He said he will ask Modi Rahul said at an election rally Continued on Page 4 &%* ,% ' !" $, %$ $' # $% '( )(*+ ,* ) Kashmir is an integral part of the country and Pakistan is in he Congress on Wednesday akistan’s Premier Imran illegal occupation of a part of Tcited a media report to PKhan has said he believes the State’s territory. claim that Pakistan has “offi- there may be a better chance of Khan has said that Pakistan cially allied” with Prime peace talks with India and set- was taking action against all Minister Narendra Modi and tle the Kashmir issue if Prime militants groups, including the said a vote for him would be a Minister Narendra Modi’s party JeM. He said that groups like vote for Pakistan. BJP wins the general elections. the JeM were being disarmed Congress’ chief spokesper- “Perhaps if the BJP wins, under a serious drive to elim- son Randeep Surjewala some kind of settlement in inate militancy from Pakistan. launched a scathing attack on Kashmir could be reached,” “We have taken the reli- Modi over the report quoting Khan told a small group of for- Kashmir issue. gious schools of these groups Pakistani Prime Minister eign journalists in an interview. Khan said Kashmir was the under state control. It is first Imran Khan saying he believes He said other parties would central issue between the two serious effort to disarm the mil- there may be a better chance of be afraid of right-wing backlash countries. India maintains that itant outfits,” he said. peace talks with India if BJP ( ', % ! '( $ , , $ % ,' , in case of settlement on the the entire state of Jammu & Continued on Page 4 wins the general elections. +', !"# $% $, %)* '( )(*+ combination. In 2014, the BJP Lok Sabha and the State won most of the seats in the Assembly as over 3.93 crore LM %. $%), he stage is set for the first western UP. voters get to exercise their Tphase of the Lok Sabha In Muzaffarnagar, RLD franchise. This is the first gen- ! '( )(*+ election on Thursday with 91 chief Ajit Singh will take on eral election in the State after "## constituencies at stake across 20 BJP’s Sanjeev Balyan. Ajit’s son the bifurcation of Andhra %% he AAP has rejected the States, including eight hotly Jayant Chaudhary is fielded Pradesh in 2014.