S. Muralidhar, J.

1. Star India Private Limited ('SIPL') challenges an order dated 3rd/4th March 2010 issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ('I&B Ministry'), Government of India administering a warning to Star Plus Channel ('SPC') to strictly adhere to the Programme Code ('PC') prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 ('CTNR Act') and the Rules framed thereunder and directing it to exercise extreme caution and restraint "while referring to any incidence in their teleprogrammes which might appear derogatory to a particular community". It was further stated that strict compliance to the direction should be ensured by the SPC and that any further violation might entail stringent action.

2. SIPL is engaged in the business of producing and supplying content to various channels operated under the name 'STAR' including the SPC. It is stated that SPC is India's most watched Hindi language based general entertainment television channel with more than 50 million viewers every week. SIPL telecasts a fictional program titled "Sapna Babul Ka - Bidaai" (hereinafter 'the program in question') on SPC.

3. On 23rd October 2009, the I&B Ministry issu