MUMBAI: The Central Government on Saturday lifted the 48-hour ban on transmission or re-transmission of Malayalam television channels Asianet News and Media One.

While the ban on Asianet News was lifted at 1.30 am, the prohibition on the other TV channel was lifted at 9.30 am on Saturday.

Earlier, the government had prohibited the channels for 48 hours on any platform throughout India with effect from 7:30 on 6 March till 7:30 on 8 March 2O2O in view of their coverage of last month's communal violence in Delhi.

The government took the action by using the powers conferred by sub section (2) & (3) of Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and under paras 8.1 & 8.2 of the guidelines for uplinking from India.