Delhi HC asks Shehla Rashid to file response to affidavit filed by NBDSA

New Delhi [India], March 2 (ANI): The Delhi High court judge on Thursday asked former JNU student leader Shehla Rashid to file a response to the affidavit filed by the News Broadcaster and Digital Standard Authority (NBDSA). She has moved a plea against a news channel and its journalist.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav directed Shehla Rashid to file a rejoinder to the affidavit filed by the NBDSA. The matter has been listed on July 19, 2023, for further hearing.

During the hearing, the counsel appearing for the respondent journalist submitted that he will adopt the reply filed by the respondent news channel in the matter.

Rashid has alleged that one news channel aired a one-sided defamatory broadcast in which baseless allegations were levelled against her by estranged father. She had sought an apology from News Channel to mitigate the damage caused to her reputation and dignity.

On September 16, 2022, the bench of justice Yashwant Varma had issued a notice on the plea of Rashid to the broadcaster regulatory authority, a news channel and a journalist. She moved a plea against a program that was telecast by a news channel in 2020.

Rashid has sought a modification in an order passed by NBDSA on March 31, 2022, on her complaint.

The News Broadcaster and Digital Standard Authority (NBDSA) had directed the news channel to take down links to the show about Rashid.

The grievance of the petitioner was that the NBDSA refused to direct the channel to air an apology. She contended that NBDSA had given relief in other similar cases.

Such unreasoned refusal is wholly arbitrary and unsustainable in law and this writ ought to issue to remedy the violation of public duty by the respondents, the plea said.

Advocate S Prasanna, the counsel for Rashid, had submitted that it is important that there is a sense of responsibility of the media and people who make these allegations.

The counsel for NBDSA had submitted that the broadcaster has removed all the links from all platforms of the programme.