Authority: Supreme Court of India

Order Date: 23-09-2026

Case Overview

  • Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (Criminal) No. 17027/2026, arising out of the impugned final judgment and order dated 03‑08‑2026 in WPCRL(MD) No. 4272/2026 passed by the Madras High Court at Madurai.
  • Petitioner: The Managing Director, SUN GROUP/ ADITHYA TV CHANNEL, SUN TV NETWORK LIMITED.
  • Respondents: R. KANAGAVEL PANDIAN & ORS.
  • Counsel for Petitioner: Mr. Nalin Kohli, Sr. Adv.; Ms. Sneha, Adv.; Mr. K.V. Jagdishvaran, Adv.; Ms. G. Indira, AOR; Mr. P. Gandepan, Adv.; Ms. Anjali Singh, Adv.; Mr. Joseph Manavalan, Adv.; Mr. Vimal Mohan, Adv.; Mr. Ayushman Aroraa, Adv.
  • Counsel for Respondents: Mr. R. Ramesh, Adv.; Mr. P.V. Yogeswaran, Adv.; Mr. P. Somasundaram, Adv.; Mr. M. Jegadeesa Pandian, Adv.; Mr. V.B. Sundhareshwar, Adv.; Mr. V.S. Rajeshwaran, Adv.; Ms. C. Rubavathi, AOR; Ms. Haripriya Padmanabhan, A.A.G. (NP).
  • The High Court, in its order dated 03‑08‑2026, directed the fourth respondent (Sun TV) to undertake several CSR‑related activities, including:
  • (vii) Instituting an annual state‑level elocution competition on the life and vision of Thiru V.O. Chidambaram Pillai.
  • (viii) Conducting the competition each year on 5 September, starting academic year 2026‑2027.
  • (ix) Organising the competition in four age‑appropriate categories (Standards I‑V, VI‑VIII, IX‑XII, undergraduate).
  • (x) Coordinating with education departments for district‑ and state‑level rounds, ensuring non‑partisan, educational purpose.
  • (xi) Procuring and distributing 1,000 copies each of three specified books on V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, subject to copyright and procurement rules.
  • (xii) Distributing the books to schools and libraries administered by the Greater Chennai Corporation and other government schools, prioritising institutions with limited access.
  • (xiii) Bearing all expenditure for the competition, prizes, and book distribution from eligible CSR allocation under the Companies Act 2013, complying with statutory accounting and disclosure requirements.
  • (xiv) Telecasting an educational programme or documentary on V.O. Chidambaram Pillai around 5 September each year.
  • (xv) Filing a compliance affidavit within eight weeks regarding the initial telecast, book‑distribution exercise, and schedule of the first competition.

Supreme Court Order

  • The Court issued notice and, because counsel for the parties were on record, dispensed with formal service of notice.
  • Respondents were granted four weeks to file counter‑affidavits.
  • The Court stayed all the High Court directions except those concerning CSR activities (clauses xi, xii, xiv), subject to compliance with the stipulated conditions.
  • The fourth respondent must bear the expenditure for the competition, prizes, and book distribution from its eligible CSR allocation, in accordance with the Companies Act 2013 and related rules.
  • A compliance affidavit covering the initial telecast, commencement of the book‑distribution exercise, and the proposed schedule of the first state‑level competition must be filed before the Registry within eight weeks of receipt of this order.

Final Outcome

  • Directions (vii), (viii), (ix), (x), (xiii) and (xv) remain stayed.
  • CSR‑related directions (xi), (xii) and (xiv) remain in force, conditional upon filing the compliance affidavit within the prescribed eight‑week period.
  • The fourth respondent is required to ensure that all CSR expenditures comply with the governing CSR framework and statutory disclosure requirements.

Topics: Corporate Social Responsibility, Supreme Court Order, Media Company