Representation to initiate proceedings against Sudarshan TV under Companies Act

By Venkatesh Nayak*
I am sharing with you a copy of the representation I have recently submitted along with renowned academic and public intellectual – Prof. Jagdeep Chhokar, to The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India with cc to The Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, urging the initiation of appropriate action against M/s. Sudarshan TV Channel (UIN: U92112PN2003PTC018392) under the Companies Act, 2013 (click HERE to see the representation).
You may recall, in its order dated 15th September, 2020, in the matter of Firoz Iqbal v. Union of India, Writ Petition (Civil) No. 856/2020, the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India found the contents of the programme Bindaas Bol telecast between the 11th and the14th of September, 2020 by Sudarshan TV Channel, objectionable. The Court reasoned that the publication of patently false information in the guise of news coupled with a deliberate design to persecute a minority which is constitutionally entitled to dignity and equal regard which is afforded to all Indians was “not just palpably erroneous but [which] have been made in wanton disregard of the truth.”
So, a representation has been made to the competent authorities in the Government of India to initiate proceedings before the jurisdictional National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for winding up M/s. Sudarshan TV Channel- a company registered under the Companies Act, 2013- in accordance with Sections 271(b) read with Section 272(1)(f) of that Act. The relevant provisions of the Companies Act are reproduced below:
“271. Circumstances in which company may be wound up by Tribunal.— A company may, on a petition under Section 272, be wound up by the Tribunal,—
(a) if the company has, by special resolution, resolved that the company be wound up by the Tribunal;
(b) if the company has acted against the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality;
(c) if on an application made by the Registrar or any other person authorised by the Central Government by notification under this Act, the Tribunal is of the opinion that the affairs of the company have been conducted in a fraudulent manner or the company was formed for fraudulent and unlawful purpose or the persons concerned in the formation or management of its affairs have been guilty of fraud, misfeasance or misconduct in connection therewith and that it is proper that the company be wound up;
(d) if the company has made a default in filing with the Registrar its financial statements or annual returns for immediately preceding five consecutive financial years; or
(e) if the Tribunal is of the opinion that it is just and equitable that the company should be wound up.”
“272. Petition for winding up.— (1) Subject to the provisions of this section, a petition to the Tribunal for the winding up of a company shall be presented by—
(a) the company;
(b) any contributory or contributories;
(c) all or any of the persons specified in clauses (a) and (b);
(d) the Registrar;
(e) any person authorised by the Central Government in that behalf; or
(f ) in a case falling under clause (b) of Section 271, by the Central Government or a State Government.
(2) A contributory shall be entitled to present a petition for the winding up of a company, notwithstanding that he may be the holder of fully paid-up shares, or that the company may have no assets at all or may have no surplus assets left for distribution among the shareholders after the satisfaction of its liabilities, and shares in respect of which he is a contributory or some of them were either originally allotted to him or have been held by him, and registered in his name, for at least six months during the eighteen months immediately before the commencement of the winding up or have devolved on him through the death of a former holder.
(3) The Registrar shall be entitled to present a petition for winding up under Section 271, except on the grounds specified in clause (a) of that section:
Provided that the Registrar shall obtain the previous sanction of the Central Government to the presentation of a petition:
Provided further that the Central Government shall not accord its sanction unless the company has been given a reasonable opportunity of making representations.
(4) A petition presented by the company for winding up before the Tribunal shall be admitted only if accompanied by a statement of affairs in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed.
(5) A copy of the petition made under this section shall also be filed with the Registrar and the Registrar shall, without prejudice to any other provisions, submit his views to the Tribunal within sixty days of receipt of such petition.”
The aforementioned provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 came into force on 15/12/2016.
The Central Government has been urged to duly consider the attached representation and to initiate proceedings for winding up in the jurisdictional National Company Law Tribunal, of the Company, M/s Sudarshan TV Channel Limited, under the aforementioned provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 for its commission of acts prejudicial to public order, constitutional morality and indeed to the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. I have filed this representation in my individual capacity as a concerned citizen.
—
*Senior Right to Information activist

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Search This Blog