Court extends reprieve, Bigg Boss to air at 9pm for now

Reality show Bigg Boss will continue to be aired at 9 pm on Colors as Bombay High Court has extended the stay on order of Information and Broadcasting Ministry, till December 3, to shift the timing of show to 11 pm.

Reality show Bigg Boss will continue to be aired at 9 pm on Colors as Bombay High Court has extended the stay on order of Information and Broadcasting Ministry, till December 3, to shift the timing of show to 11 pm.

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The channel ealier secured a stay from Bombay High Court on November 18 till November 22.

On November 17, the information and broadcasting ministry issued an order directing Colors to shift Bigg Boss to a post 11 pm slot. The order was issued in response to widespread criticism of the abusive language that participants use on screen.

The channel, however, went ahead and screened the programme as originally scheduled on Wednesday evening at 9 pm and secured a court stay order on Thursday. The court asked the ministry to provide its version and have a representative present on Monday, when the court will rule on the matter.

The channel's counsel Aspi Chenoy told the court that the ministry failed to issue Colors even a show cause notice before passing the order. He also said the ministry's offices in Mumbai and Delhi had refused to allow Viacom 18 to serve copies of this legal petition.

Ministry officials, however, were miffed and said, "We will wait and see what the court directs. The channel is within its rights to seek a stay, however, they should not have aired the programme on Wednesday evening pretending they were not aware of the ministry order."

(With inputs from Nandini R Iyer)