NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today stayed the order of the Assam Government cancelling the accreditation cards of North-East Television, thereby preventing it from covering the 33rd National Games starting today in Guwahati.

A bench comprising Justices KG Balakrishnan and PK Jain stayed the operation of the impugned order dated 6 February, thereby permitting the petitioner television channel to cover the National Games, inaugurated by Congress President Sonia Gandhi this afternoon.

Senior Counsel Harish Salve, appearing for the petitioner, alleged the order has been passed as the channel has exposed the killing of innocent persons by militant organisations like the United Liberation Front of Assom and others in various places of the North-East and said the state government’s action amounted to violation of freedom of speech.

The television network, which telecasts in eight languages spoken in all the states of the Northeast, said the NE TV has always highlighted issues related to national security and sovereignty.